This year at Abington High School was the first year many students have done a floating period schedule. The floating period schedule is used so that every day students can have bridge blocks. Bridge block is a study period where students get to choose which teacher they would like to see. The schedule works by having one class, period seven, that moves position in the schedule every day. Since this period has to move positions on the schedule, students drop one period every day and seventh period takes its place.

Although last year’s freshmen did get to experience bridge block, members of both the class of 2024 and 2025 have never experienced the floating period schedule. How have all these students adjusted to having a new and slightly confusing schedule?

With the first half of first term coming to a close, I sat down with some freshmen and sophomores to find out what they think of the schedule and how they are adjusting.

Students Sarah Ahern, Savannah Zenus, Jack Regan, Jackson Gagnon, Charlotte Hernandez, and Rebekah Salah all weighed in on how they feel about the floating period schedule.

Danica Shanahan: What was your initial reaction to your schedule and the floating period when you got it? 

• Ahern: At first, I was very nervous because I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, and it was kind of confusing going through the first week of school. But after that the next few weeks were easier, and I got a system in my head so I could remember it. 
• Zenus: My initial reaction was confusion because I didn’t know how it would work. 
• Gagnon: My initial reaction was “Oh my gosh what the heck is this?” 
• Hernandez: When I was given my schedule, I was very confused, and I didn’t understand it at all. When I realized that Period 7 floating throughout the week, I automatically assumed that I would be behind in every class and that it was a bad idea. 
• Salah: My initial reaction to the floating period was that I didn’t really understand it, or how it worked. 
• Regan: I was very confused when I got the schedule and I saw the floating period. I was nervous I would get confused about which period was which. 

Shanahan: Was the floating period schedule hard to get used to? 

• Ahern: At first it was really hard to get used to because it was a new thing and we’d never had it before but after a few weeks it got really easy to do. 
• Zenus: Even though it was confusing at first, it wasn’t hard at all to get used to it. 
• Gagnon: It was hard for me to get used to. It took me about two weeks to get fully used to it. 
• Hernandez: Since last year there has been a lot of changing and doing things differently, I caught onto the floating schedule easily, especially since it is my first year of high school and I’m not sure what to expect. It was also easy to remember what days we would be missing since you drop whatever day they say it is on the Morning Announcements. 
• Salah: I thought the floating period would get be hard to get used to, but it was pretty easy 
• Regan: The floating schedule was very easy to get used to, but I have gotten confused and forgotten which period I was supposed to go to a few times. 

Shifts in Schedules Becoming the Norm

Breaking Out of the Box with Bridge Block

Abington High School Back to In Person Learning

Shanahan: Do you like the schedule now or do you prefer the schedule you had last year? Why? 

• Ahern: I think I like the schedule now better because it includes all seven periods unlike last year when it was only four a day. I learn a lot more in a day than I used to last year. 
• Zenus: I like the schedule better now because we have all our classes in one day instead of four classes in one day. Also, I like that the periods are all shorter now. 
• Hernandez: I prefer this year’s schedule because we have Bridge Block. I think having Bridge Block is a great idea because I can get homework and assignments done so I don’t have to worry about them since I have a busy schedule after school. 
• Salah: I like the schedule I have this year a lot more than last year, its good because it changes every day and it’s not the same, I think I learn better that way. 
• Regan: I enjoyed last year’s schedule because we had longer class periods, but this year it is nice to see my teachers more often than every other day. 

 Shanahan: What is your opinion of the floating schedule now that we’ve been doing it for about a month? 

• Zenus: I like having the floating schedule now because it allows me to catch up on all my work. 
• Gagnon: My opinion on it now is I like it. At first, I didn’t like it but it’s actually a really cool thing to have. 
• Hernandez: My opinion on the floating schedule is that it can be a bit difficult at times, but it can also be helpful if you have a project that is due in class, but you have the extra day to work on it if you get lucky enough. 
• Salah: After a month of having the floating schedule, I’ve gotten used to it and I like it, I really like dropping a class every day and having a class at different times each day.
• Regan: I think the floating schedule is great and it is a great fit for our school.

According to all these students it seems like the floating period schedule and bridge blocks have been a pretty big hit this year! Thank you to all the students who participated in the interview, let’s have a great year with this schedule!