Thousands of students returned to San Benito High School
yesterday following summer break to familiar classes and teachers,
but many things at the school have changed over the summer.
Hollister – Thousands of students returned to San Benito High School yesterday following summer break to familiar classes and teachers, but many things at the school have changed over the summer.
A revamped class schedule, which gives students the opportunity to take seven classes each week instead of six, confused some students and parents.
Last year classes started at 7:15am or 8:30am, depending on whether a student had a “zero” period to make up a failed class. This year, classes start at 7:45am or 8:45am.
Students who have not yet passed both of the California High School Exit Exams or who have failed a class are required to take the seventh class at 7:45. The early class is also available to other students as an elective.
Principal Debbie Padilla said only a few students arrived too early or too late, but the majority of students made it to class on time.
“I was very impressed with how things went, especially considering all of the changes,” Padilla said.
Although she was excited about being back at school, senior Jaynae Zook took issue with the new block schedule.
“(Returning to school) is kind of exciting because you get to see a lot of people you haven’t seen in a while,” Zook said. “But I don’t like the new schedule, you have to wake up too early.”
Junior Associated Student Body member Vanessa Buelna said the first day went well. Buelna is also a member of Link Crew, a national organization of upperclassmen that help freshmen make the transition from middle school to high school.
Yesterday, Link Crew members wore white T-shirts and helped freshmen and new students locate their classes.
“Its a longer day obviously, but overall it went really well,” Buelna said.
Veteran Social Science teacher Chuck Schallhorn said many SBHS students and staff got off to a good start this year.
“It was been a good start for a lot of folks,” Schallhorn said. “Every year the new kids and freshmen will invariably get lost, but this is a pretty typical start.”
Another change was in the location of pick-up and drop-off points. Police officers helped keep Monterey Street closed to morning and afternoon school traffic between Nash and Palmtag Drive, Superintendent Jean Burns Slater said.
Parents and students used the new pick-up and drop-off zones at Baler Alley, the football field parking lot and the new campus parking lot located beyond Powell Street on Nash Road. But Slater said traffic was still a problem and would be closely monitored in the coming weeks.
Slater will also be closely watching attendance and enrollment numbers this week to determine if the school has enough teachers. If enrollment increases again this year, as it has for the last four years, Slater said the district may have to hire additional teachers. Overall, Slater said the day went smoothly.
“We’re really glad everyone is here and everyone is ready to go,” Slater said.
As a result of several logistical changes, the first day of school went much more smoothly this year, Slater said. Unlike previous years, students received their class schedules before the first day of school this year, which afforded students greater ease in locating their classes. Handing out schedules before the first day helped everything run much better, Slater said.
“Instead of having 2,900 students waiting to pick-up schedules, most went right to class,” Principal Padilla said.
Assistant Principal Krystal Lomanto agreed.
“When they’re all here and ready to learn it’s a good day,” Lomanto said.
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected]
