RING RING RING; CHANGES TO CCA STRUCTURE

This year, some changes were made to the bell schedule, passing time, class duration, semester start and end dates, and advisory. After a year hiatus, student support has made a return as well. Students have pretty split opinions on the adjustments. However, many are unaware of the reasons behind these changes. 

Class Duration Extended

The Anchor sent out a survey to the student body and collected 64 responses from across all grade levels. This year, the duration of classes has been extended. Previously, classes were 82 minute blocks, but are now 87. The opinions were extremely varied in responses. While some barely notice the difference, and say it has been pretty easy to adjust, others have struggled with learning the new bell schedule, including when classes begin and end. 

Clear Creek Amana High school Principal, Mr. Daniel, was interviewed and kindly explained the reasons for all of the changes. The state of Iowa had told Clear Creek Amana that our classes did not meet the minimum amount of time required to earn a credit. Thus, they were obligated to make decisions to increase class time to make classes qualified to earn students credit. They considered their different options. If they were to have kept the school day as it was, with 80 minute blocks and five minute passing times, they would have had to cut time out of summer break to start the school year earlier or have it end later. Or, if they had decided to extend class time but leave passing time unaffected, either advisory would have gotten even more shortened or the school day would have had to start before 8:25 am or end after 3:25 pm. They wanted to keep the school day as close to as it was as possible. So they made classes a few minutes longer and borrowed that time from advisory and a minute from passing time. 

Passing Time

Along with classes being extended, passing time was slightly shortened. Students were asked how they felt about passing time being cut from five minutes to four. The split was fairly even, differing from negative responses to neutral/positive opinions. While some students don’t mind, others feel having that extra minute in previous years was very helpful and now passing time feels rushed. Many say it is too short of a time to travel to classes that are far apart from each other, stop by lockers, especially for science classes, or use the restroom. 

Students in the hall during passing time; Photo by Gabi Henriquez STUDENTS IN THE HALL DURING PASSING TIME; PHOTO BY GABI HENRIQUEZ

Another new addition is the one minute warning bell during passing periods. Generally, students feel that it is helpful because it tells you how much time you have left to get to class or put phones away in the holders if you have not already. A few mentioned it is easy to lose track of time in the hallways and it’s a nice reminder. A couple of students stated that they were initially confused by the sound of it, reporting that they thought someone was about to start speaking over the intercom before being informed that it is the new warning bell. But after adjusting to it, it’s proven to be helpful.

The warning bell was a suggestion on behalf of teachers to help students by giving them a heads up that passing time is almost over. It was implemented in hopes to cut down on the number of tardies and detentions caused by tardies by making students more aware of time as its passing.

Advisory Shortened

With classes being longer but the school day remaining starting at 8:25 and ending at 3:25, advisory had to be shortened to allot for that. There were several concerns over a shortened advisory for this school year. Seniors who have been looking forward to leaving early and not being required to attend advisory, formerly known as Clipper Learning Time, were generally disappointed or upset over the change. Now, class of ‘26 is not able to leave as early as previous classes were. Seniors get to leave at 2:55 pm this year instead of 2:38 pm. Comments included feeling “robbed” and that it was “unfair”. Additionally, those with jobs and work after school can not get to work or start as early as they initially planned. As for other grades, the primary concern is that only twenty five minutes is not enough time to work on assignments or makeup tests. Students feel it is way too short and practically useless at that point. A few are concerned about their workloads getting heavier later in the semester and not having ample work time.  

Sophomore Nolan Dao said that advisory now “feels like a very short time to do our homework and this is our only study hall of the day so I feel like it should be longer.” This brings up a fair point, other schools do have longer study halls. Even with being focused, not much can get completed in twenty five minutes. On the other hand, some felt unbothered. Junior Kendall Jones explained that she doesn’t mind because “...it makes the day go by faster because the rest of the classes feel the same length as last year, so my day feels shorter!” This is a great way to look at things and make the most out of a situation that can’t really be changed.

With Advisory being shortened, ideally teachers should be able to give more work time during class and provide support to students then. 

Return of Student Support

Student support has also made a return this year which will help with the need for extra work time and time to get help from teachers. A monthly resource occurring after school on Wednesdays, provides a great time for students to ask questions, retake tests, or just get a space to work in with teachers nearby to support as needed. Nearly every response included something positive about the return of student support. Students consistently reported that it is a very helpful resource and can make up for the loss of time for advisory. As Senior Bash Corley put it, student support is “one of the best resources CCA has to offer” and he is appreciative of its comeback. However, others feel that having student support only once a month and only after school on Wednesdays can be limiting. 

Teachers and staff heard the feedback from students last year when student support was removed and recognized the need for that extra work time and help, especially considering the cutdown on Advisory. This year there are some new people at Clear Creek Amana’s Central Office who listened to and approved the proposal of bringing back student support. 

Semester Changes

Arguably the biggest change made for this school year, is the moving of the first semester end date. Now, first semester will go until Wednesday, January 14, past students’ return to school after winter break as it was previously. Thus, second semester will begin on Thursday, January 15, 2026. While some students don’t mind, some feel upset or concerned about this change and do not understand why this happened. The primary concern among pupils is forgetting content, especially for math classes, over the long winter break and performing worse on tests upon their return. 

Many said that they had liked the feeling of being done with the first semester on winter break as they enjoyed not having to worry about school over break. Some students are now disappointed that they will not be starting fresh for the second semester when they come back from winter break. Several voiced their concern about how it will be harder to get back on track compared to starting something new after the longest break of the school year. Marlo Thompson, class of ‘27, explained that it will be “exhausting” having a gap in learning and returning for finals, she thinks “that is going to take a major toll on the performance of students and drain their battery.”

  The semester changes will also affect students who are graduating a semester early. In the past, those graduating early would be completely finished with school in time for winter break but they will now have to come back for two weeks. One anonymous student stated that they feel, “It is annoying” for those who are graduating early to “have to come back for two weeks” after winter break, and it’s possible they may “get homework during winter break.” For those graduating a semester early, they don’t get to be finished with school as they previously thought, like seniors have in the past before this change. 

By extending the first semester until mid January, it becomes more even with how long the second semester used to be. This balances out the semesters so all classes can meet the requirements to earn credits. Iowa’s State Board of Education requires at least 120 hours of seat time to earn a credit for a year long class, or 60 hours for a semester long class. Adjusting the semesters ensures students earn credit for their classes and the school’s compliance with the law. 

While it is fair and completely understandable to be frustrated, upset, and annoyed with any or all of these changes, it is also important to remember that they were not made just to inconvenience students but rather to comply with state standards so requirements can be met to earn credits.