Could you complete a thirty-minute task in under fifteen minutes? Last year, St. Andrew’s made changes to the schedule, including a later start to the day and a shorter break. Due to the 8:30 start, high schoolers’ break was shortened from forty minutes to fifteen. However, the middle school made more changes to the schedule, making middle school break at the same time as the high school’s. Not only do high schoolers have fifteen minutes to get food and get to class, but they also have to maneuver around the middle schoolers. This causes many students to be late to class or keeps them from getting breakfast.

      “I don’t typically get food during break because I don’t have enough time,” Junior Emma Grace Dillard said. “When I have gotten food, I have been late for class because I was waiting in line.”

     Junior Dallas Ford also stays in the library during break due to not having enough time to get food and eat. 

      “I always want to get food, but now since break is so short, I normally don’t have time to go and eat,” Ford said. “When I do go and eat, I have to wait in line forever because the middle school is there too.”

      Not only are the middle schoolers in the way, but they also think they have the right to cut the line. This means that high schoolers are pushed to the back of line, making it even harder to pay in time.

       “It makes me very mad when they cut in line because they are middle schoolers,” Dillard said. “Their break is longer, and it’s just known that you don’t cut high schoolers because of seniority.”

      In response to the many complaints made by high school students, St. Andrew’s should look into making a few changes to organize the chaotic break. A bigger change would be to fix schedule to make high schoolers’ break at a different time than middle school’s, and smaller changes would include adding more lines for paying or having a “high school only” line.

      “I think there should be a line for high school only or high school should be able to cut the line since our break is shorter,” Ford said.

    Dillard also made suggestions for the administration in order to fix the chaos.  

      “Maybe just take away break and add it to lunch since it’s only fifteen minutes,” Dillard said. “Or just make break longer like previous years.”

     If St. Andrew’s doesn’t consider making changes to the schedule, high schoolers will continue to have problems getting to class on time. When students are late to class, it causes disruption and results in students falling behind. Other students will continue to stay in the library during break and not get food, which could ultimately be detrimental to Flik’s business.