It is now official, A/B block schedule will be staying for next school year. Before the end of first semester, staff voted on whether to continue with the block schedule or to return to the eight period schedule Prospect has implemented since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote was tallied up with 84 votes for block schedule and 55 votes for the eight-period schedule. By a margin of one vote, the block schedule narrowly passed the needed threshold of 60 percent of votes. 

Junior Adrian Jurczenia was more than happy to see that the block schedule would continue next school year.

“I’m happy about it because I prefer the block schedule,” Jurczenia said. “It gives me an extra day to do my homework and school days seem shorter.”

Despite there being a rumored possibility that the administration would make a final decision to switch back to an eight period day, this ultimately didn’t happen and the block schedule will continue. In order to give counselors time to construct the master schedule for next school year, the decision is now final. 

English teacher and Head Building Representative for the Education Association Timothy McDermott believes that block schedule was voted for because of its many positives, including alleviating stress for students on homework with an extra day, representing a more college-oriented schedule, and giving teachers 80 minutes of instructional time in class. 

Block schedule also has its cons as well. According to McDermott, when ultimately broken down, block schedule takes away about three and a half weeks of class time in a school year. It can also lead to challenges in retention as students don’t have the same class every school day. 

The teachers and administration decided on what schedule they believe will benefit the students most educationally. It seems that most students have expressed their happiness with the block schedule staying for next school year.