As a student at Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts, there are many concerns and frustrations regarding the recently announced schedule changes for the 2025-2026 school year.
As students, this change directly impacts our academic experience, and we believe it will create significant challenges. It has also come to our attention that Darnell-Cookman is the only magnet school not receiving the same considerations as others in the district. This disparity raises concerns about fairness and the overall impact on our education.

     Currently, we follow a four 90-minute class period schedule per day, which, while rigorous, already presents challenges in terms of maintaining focus and managing coursework. Extending these periods to 100 minutes will only add to the strain on students, teachers, and parents. Many students struggle with balancing academic responsibilities, extracurricular activities, and personal obligations; therefore, increasing class duration may exacerbate these difficulties.

     Additionally, reducing certain class periods to just 50 minutes could negatively impact advanced courses, particularly AP classes, which require extensive instruction and engagement to prepare students for college-level material. The proposed schedule changes may hinder our ability to learn effectively and limit opportunities for academic success.

     Darnell-Cookman students take great pride in their education, as we are preparing to become future leaders, business owners, and medical professionals. We fully respect and appreciate the efforts being made to improve Duval County’s school system, but we ask that our voices be heard in this matter. This needs to happen now in order to protect the education of DCSOMA's students. Please help and support us!