For the 2025-2026 school year, Camas High School (CHS) has implemented a variety of bell schedule changes. From applying a new student support time (SST) system to switching the start time and end time of the school day, CHS staff and students have had to adjust to various changes. 

CHS decided to change their SST from 15 unrequired minutes at the end of the day to 20 required minutes in the middle of the day. This is due to many reasons, according to CHS administrators. 

“Because students could leave and not all students had to stay until the final bell, we could not count that time as part of the required Washington state seat time and instructional time. We had to make a change,” Kelly O’Rourke, CHS principal, said.

The new SST period, occurring right after second period, not only gave CHS the correct amount of required school hours, but also held students accountable for getting on top of their school work. Students can even use this time for social activities. 

In order to sign up for a certain SST activity, students need to log in on the AllTimely app and sign up for where they would like to go. This has posed some challenges so far. However, many staff members are hopeful that the app will prove to be beneficial once students and staff get used to using it. 

“Even though we all have growing pains with the new AllTimely app, it allows us to offer not only academic interventions, but social opportunities…The app is a little clunky right now, but I think in a month, we are all going to be experts,” O’Rourke said.

In order to have this new SST, the length of the school day had to be increased. The previous schedule of 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by a 15 minute SST, had been changed to 8:35 a.m. to 3:02 p.m., with SST in the middle of the day. However, there were issues with this change. 

“We had a few buses that just could not get here.  Most could, but if we cannot get all of the buses here, it is not fair to staff and students. We really had no choice but to move the time up,” O’Rourke said.

Due to this challenge, starting the third week of school, the school day was shifted to 8:45 a.m. to 3:11 p.m. This will remain the schedule for the rest of the school year. 

The schedule changes and the new SST have left students needing to make many adjustments. 

“I think overall I would prefer it at the end of the day,” Annabelle Reese, CHS senior, said. “But I do also like it because it splits up my day a little bit more in the beginning and it gives me time to study before other classes instead of studying at lunch.” 

“I would rather have conference period after school. But, when you need to go see a teacher it helps,” Scott Johnson, CHS senior, said.

Overall, with some time and adjustment, the new schedule intends to solve many issues regarding scheduling and should prove to be a success.