Whether it is through the mass buying of masks; an excessive use of hand sanitizer; or the constraints that plexiglass has to offer, Covid-19 has created many implications for the education system. The Bronxville School has been very accommodating in these times; it has understood the difficulties that the virus has on the minds of young students. 

The school has continually made sacrifices to allow students to be in school, instead of learning from a device at home. Learning from home allows kids to be distracted and drift into the more desirable and isolated world of their phones. It is essential that kids come into school where their distractions are minimized and their social interactions are boosted. When kids are placed into school, they are subjected to lectures where faculty can monitor their actions and ensure that attention is fully directed towards the lesson. The school understands the importance of in person learning and has pushed to make it work this year. 

While learning in the building, X-Block days were created to accommodate the needs of kids in a time of a pandemic. The X-block schedule allows for kids to have more time in the middle of the day for lunch; the one implication is that it shortens the class periods by ten minutes. In this extended lunch period, kids have time to go home for lunch; for clubs to be able to meet; and the faculty can meet. The X-Block schedule has been extremely effective for students to remain socially distanced and to feel like they have enough time to manage the school work they have. 

In an interview with Principal Ann Meyer, she specified what she was planning to do with the X-Block schedule next year. As of now, next year will not have X-Block days everyday; instead it will be once or twice per week. There has been extremely positive feedback from faculty and students with the X-Block schedule, so it will definitely happen a little bit next year. Again, the implications with X-Block days are that they cut each period ten minutes short, so having them everyday would leave students at a disadvantage with learning. Ms. Meyer is not planning to extend the school day in order to keep the X-Block schedule and keep the blocks eighty minutes, nor is she planning to make it another extra help period. 

It is relieving to hear that X-block will still be a part of the schedule next year, even if it’s not everyday. This extra time at lunch allows students to be able to manage their schedule with more time during the day. With students taking part in a million clubs, athletics, and arts, it is refreshing to know that there is time during the day to catch up.