Mini Documentary: Goodbye Bell Schedule

One state law changes one amazing schedule

For nearly 20 years, Oak Park High School has maintained the same bell schedule. Starting next year, students must adapt to a new bell schedule with longer days, 0-periods and no 7th period. 

According to Senate Bill No. 328, the school day for high schools may not begin earlier than 8:30 a.m. by July 1, 2022. This posed a problem to our schedule since 0-period currently counts towards the instructional minutes required for public schools to operate.

To satisfy the new state requirements, OPHS elected to lengthen each period by twenty minutes as a replacement for seventh period. 0-period is not gone, but will start at 7:15 a.m. rather than 7:20 a.m. It will end at 8:25 a.m. rather than 8:20 a.m. Lunch will be pushed back at least 40 minutes. School will end at 3:35 p.m. rather than 2:25 p.m.