The shift to online school has uprooted the lives of students and teachers all over the country. This includes the variety of schedules used in schools.

One of the largest changes for Liberty has been the switch to an eight-period schedule on Mondays and Tuesdays, which many teachers have found difficult to adapt to.

“Having all eight classes in one day can make my work overwhelming,” math teacher Angie Kruzich said.

But Kruzich is not the only teacher who expressed concerns. 

“I don’t think the new schedule sets the best learning environment for students,” math teacher Kristi Hafferty said. “The process of learning has a reflection period that is necessary, and that is lost with the eight-period schedule.”

The schedule also increases the amount of stress teachers face.

“Teaching six different classes, three different preps, and having to be ready for them all in one day is pretty painful,” math teacher Thomas Kennedy said.

Most of the criticism is focused on Mondays and Tuesdays in particular.

“Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are all fine. But Mondays and Tuesdays have been awful,” Kennedy said.

In addition to issues teachers have with the schedule, they also recognize how difficult online school has been for students. 

“Sometimes things fit on certain days, but I also understand that for students, doing eight different calls can be exhausting,” English teacher Henry Level said. 

Despite the challenges, teachers are doing their best to help students see the positives in these new circumstances.

“Before school started, I had many concerns—frankly I still have a lot of concerns. I am not a fan of the schedule, but there are a lot of positives in a remote setting that I didn’t foresee,” Hafferty said. “I still feel like we are making connections and kids are learning, and we’re making the best out of the situation that we have.”