Head-Royce is planning to switch to an 8-day rotating schedule for grades 6–12 starting in the 2026–27 school year. Instead of following a normal weekly pattern, the days will be numbered 1–8, and classes will rotate accordingly—meaning no two weeks will look the same.

While the proposed schedule may offer some potential benefits, it also presents significant drawbacks. In fact, some changes being described as “improvements” could end up negatively impacting students’ learning experiences.

The most obvious concern is that the new schedule will be confusing. Because the cycle repeats every eight days instead of every week, students will have a much harder time keeping track of their classes and assignments.

Beyond confusion, there are also more serious downsides. The new schedule reduces total class time: over two weeks, each class would meet five times instead of six, resulting in roughly thirty fewer minutes of instruction per week for every class. This reduction limits opportunities for students to engage deeply with material and for teachers to provide meaningful instruction and feedback.

Finally, the proposed schedule would create major challenges for part-time teachers. Many part-time staff balance their teaching schedules with other professional responsibilities. An unpredictable 8-day rotation makes that impossible to plan around. In addition, the proposed middle school schedule adds a mandatory 15-minute morning advisory “check-in,” which would require all teachers to be on campus each morning—even those who don’t teach until the afternoon. These changes could make it unfeasible for part-time teachers to remain at Head-Royce, depriving students of trusted mentors and experienced educators.

In conclusion, while the 8-day schedule may be well-intentioned, it introduces unnecessary confusion, reduces valuable learning time, and risks driving away teachers who are vital to our community. We urge the administration to reconsider this change and to work with students and teachers to find solutions that truly enhance learning rather than disrupt it.