The past two years have been full of change, and next school year will be no different: a new schedule is being implemented, more all-school assemblies are being planned, and Covid protocols are likely to be relaxed. Will next year be a fresh start to finally rebuild the pre-pandemic St. Louis U. High community and recreate the brotherhood that has been lost over the past two years? Or will the inconsistency of life prevent the “New Normal” that SLUH has been waiting for?

For the past two years, the school has been fluctuating between different schedules as administrators attempt to find one that provides students with the best learning experience possible. Next school year will see the school switch from the block schedule that only has A days and B days to a cascading schedule where every day is different. For some students, this radically different schedule feels intimidating.

“I personally like a set order of things,” said Student Body Vice President-Elect Chandler Flowers. “With the new schedule, it just sets everything off of whack. I think it'll create more confusion for the incoming classes, and then the seniors that are supposed to help them are trying to figure it out as well. It's just no set schedule. Every day is different.”

“The constantly shifting classes just absolutely destroys routine,” said freshman Mason Morris. “As someone who works off of a routine, that's just going to be a nightmare.”

“I think it's a step down because it makes it harder to schedule your time out because of the rolling classes,” said junior John Bytnar. “It doesn't have an every other day switch, so I think that might make it harder to meet with teachers, schedule your homework for the night, and plan around the classes. It might also take longer to figure out where your classes are and what day they're on.”

While the block schedule does have its downsides, including the major loss in class time throughout the year, having just two daily schedules to shift between was preferred by some students. Others, however, are excited to explore this new schedule. In some ways, it provides more structure since classes and activity periods are at the same time every day.

“I am excited for the new schedule. It will be a lot to keep track of at the beginning of the year, but once I get the hang of it, it will work out well. I am nervous about how we almost have every class every day. This year, with homework, we kind of have two days to do it. But next year, for most classes we will have to get it done the night of,” said freshman Alex Bendana.

Regardless of these mixed opinions, it is inevitable that any schedule implemented will not please everyone. The purpose of the schedule is to provide a cohesive format for learning. Given the unique opportunity to take input from students and faculty this year, the administration decided on the cascading block schedule as the best choice for SLUH.

“The thing with the new schedule is they're trying to appease the people who like the block schedule with the people who like the seven day schedule, like the math teachers, the Spanish teachers, guys who were here before the block schedule, but this new schedule is kind of just a weird middle ground that I think kind of fails to accomplish what it's trying to set out to do,” said Morris.

The schedule, however, is not the only thing that is changing next school year. After months of low Covid rates at SLUH and in the region, expectations are that this fall will mark the first return to school without major Covid protocols in place since 2019. Students and faculty alike are anticipating that Covid will not hinder life at SLUH next school year in the way that it has for the past two.

“I'm excited that, while still being cautious, we can do a lot more, like pack football stands, go to hockey games, and do pep rallies and stuff,” said Student Body President-Elect Patrick Mehan. “We can do all that and we don't have to spread out and sit alphabetically. We don't have to worry about Covid as much and it's not as much of a danger to all of us. Now we really have no limits as to what we can do for spirit activities.”

“We have gotten a taste of it this past spring as we have been able to do things for the first time in three years,” said math teacher Stephen Deves. “We have been able to do prom, Juniror Ring the old way, Direction Days the old way, and it just feels joyful. There has been so much mental capacity the last two years with having to change things or having to be precautionary. It is exciting to be able to do things the way we want to do them and to be able to gather together in ways that we previously haven’t been able to.”

Next school year, the senior class will be the only class that has experienced SLUH before Covid. With campus life finally going ‘new normal,’ it will be the job of the seniors to continue restoring some of the SLUH culture and brotherhood that was lost to the pandemic. 

“I'm so excited for next year,” said Flowers. “We're seniors, it's our year, I think it'll be our year to leave our footprint because we're now the new ‘back to normal’ SLUH senior class, so it'll be exciting to see what we're able to do next year.”

“I want STUCO to be so much more involved,” said junior Anthony Fahim, who is a STUCO member next year. “I feel like we need to really make that brotherhood 100 percent true. Introverts need to be included, extroverts, kids of every race, LGBTQ, I want everyone to be included. I don't want you to feel in any way excluded.”

Another challenge of next school year will be initiating the freshmen. While starting completely in person without rigid Covid protocols will allow freshmen to bond more easily, the new schedule could make it more difficult for senior advisors to spend time with their freshmen without homeroom time.

“I think that adjustment is going to be huge, and I think it's important how we approach that because homeroom is the time when you talk to your guys. That's when you get to know people. I think if homeroom doesn't happen, it's gonna be a big pivot. I think it's really important that we still make it mandatory to talk to our guys and give him the basics to get used to SLUH,” said Mehan.

It is indisputable that life at SLUH will continue to change. With determination, students and faculty can use the opportunity of next school year to breathe new life into the SLUH community.