WOS: What would you change about BHS?

Hailey Maya Sacramento, a BHS junior, suggests that the school should have more three day weekends and four day weeks, to make the school year feel more balanced. “I’ve seen studies that have shown that having four day school weeks actually improves performance,” Sacramento said. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, four day school weeks have been linked to higher student achievement scores and better student health outcomes. “I think it would just be better if we had that kind of system,” Sacramento said.

Armin Schneider, a junior at Berkeley High School, wishes for a change in school bathrooms. Schneider noted he feels the boys’ bathrooms can be especially run-down, explaining that they are frequently dirty, broken, or lacking paper towels. Additionally, the urinal dividers are broken in multiple bathrooms. “People break the tops of them, so they’re kind of pointless,” Schneider said. Schneider’s perspective highlights how a lack of necessary functions undermines the purpose of bathrooms and creates an unsanitary environment for students.

Avery Aki, a BHS freshman, says that the six-minute long passing periods are not long enough to get to classes on time. Aki’s classes are spread out across campus, which makes it hard to be punctual. “10 minutes (for a passing period) would be great, but more realistically, seven or eight,” she said. Additionally, Aki thinks that the tardies for the first period should be more lenient. Recently, the AC Transit bus schedule changed, which can make it harder for students to get to class in the morning. “The 65 and 67, they come later this year,” she said.

LaShawn Green, a BHS senior, believes that it’s vital for students of color to be able to see themselves in their teachers. While it’s important to recognize that BHS is a relatively diverse school, Green expressed that he would appreciate more teachers that look like him. “Though (teachers) are nice people and they’re very inclusive, it’s very hard for me to have a connection,” Green said. “There isn’t a connection between me and (a teacher) ... I want more teachers of color because I feel like I can’t really connect with my teachers,” Green said.