Changes are coming to Morton High Schools! District 201 is implementing a new bell schedule in the 2018-2019 school year. One of the biggest changes will be that first period starts at 8:45 a.m. rather then 8:00 a.m.. District 201 hopes that this change will improve overall student attendance and benefit students’ health by allowing more time to sleep.

Half days and late starts will also be affected due to this change. The District has implemented an allocated time on half days to allow students to enrich themselves through speakers from the community and activities. Students can also use that time to meet up with teachers for any extra help needed. 1st hour will begin at 8:45 a.m.will end at 12:15 p.m. on half days. Late starts will promptly start at 9:33 a.m., each class roughly about 40 minutes long, and will end at 3:10 p.m.

Extra help has been moved to the mornings rather than after school from 8:00 a.m. to 8:40 a.m.. Mr. Josh McMahon, Principal at Morton West, says, “Kids need to understand 40 minutes before school, now they’re are going to be able to get the time back after school.” Although McMahon has reassured that teachers will still be available to those students who rather do their work after school however, he states, “coming to school before isn’t as hard as staying after, and once you’re done, you’re done and you can leave when the bell rings.”

The District hopes to accommodate those involved in after school activties and provide involved students with an opportunity to come in the morning to work with their teachers for extra help. McMahon states, “…we really want our students to take advantage of the time before school. Why is that? Because we know so many of our students are involved in extracurricular activities after school. So, whether or not it be you’re going over to east or coming to west, so many times you’re headed out into practice, or headed out to get ready for practice, you can’t take advantage of the extra help time [after school]. “Tania Padilla, ’19, states, “The time before school to meet up with teachers will better for me since I’m involved in Cross Country and Track, I’ll be able to see my teachers without being late for practice!”

Although the new schedule has been shifted, zero hour will remain the same. McMahon says that if zero hour was changed, the school day would end too late. McMahon explains, “…you would have to add another hour and 50 minutes so, our regular school day wouldn’t end until 5 o’clock and with extracurricular activities happening after school, that would be very difficult.” Zero hour will continue to begin at 6:55 a.m. and will end at 7:55 a.m.. This will cause zero hour students to have 40 minutes inbetween their 0 and 1^st hour classes.

Mr. McMahon states,”I think it [the new schedule] puts students in better places to be able to understand and get that help they need, and use their time more wisely. …by bringing that help to the front of the day, it’s going to allow the kids to be able to get their lives back after school.” Reena Price, ’19, stated, “I’m excited to get an extra hour of sleep! I don’t think I’ll enjoy having to stay an extra hour on half days, but at least its convenient if I have to make up work.”