It’s the first day back from spring break. Everyone is catching up with friends and then a noise straight out of a horror movie blasted over the intercom. The loud screech is not the bell currently in place but what a way to start fourth quarter am I right? When the final first period bell rang, the sound could only be described as interesting.  Was administration about to make an announcement? Is it just a random noise? No one seemed to know what to do, but by the time break came around, everyone figured out that this was the new bell. Much like the snapchat update, we are going to have to live with it.

The bell system, while it is unusual, is beneficial because it enables administration to have over 30 different bell schedules, as if the seven previous ones weren’t enough. The district also paid for the new bell system and is installing it in all the schools – so at least we aren’t the only ones who have to deal with this.

The four-tone ring that is currently in place is the “most pleasant” of all the bells available for the school to use, and fun-fact, it’s also the doorbell from The Jetsons. For the minute bell, it is officially a fog horn but it is commonly mistaken for a steamboat or maybe administration is trying to cause everyone post-spring break cruise depression.

Administration plans on testing out new bells during the summer when no one is on campus, so they can tweak it and not cause any further disruption; which they should have done in the first place. The four-tone ring plays twice at the start and end of every period, which it is not supposed to do. So not only can the new bell not sound good, but it can also not work. The district also sent a specialist to assist in any problems that occurred while the new bells were being set up. If only they could spend that money on, oh I don’t know, a better sounding bell.

The bells currently available even include words, much like the obnoxious code red drill or fire alarm. Choices include a “you have one minute to get to class” and as one teacher suggested, “Get your butt to class”. The bell sound, if used at all, would most likely replace the fog horn. A phone ringtone was even suggested so all the students would check their phone the first time it went off and realize they only had a minute to get to class. Kind of a late for an April fool’s joke if you ask me.

Whether either bell gets changed, is completely up in the air at this point, but the current bells will stay for the remainder of the school year. Most people are getting used to it for now, and whatever comes next year, we will get used to as well. Most students have heard the same two bells for all of high school, and why the district couldn’t wait until summer to put the new system in, no one knows. Nevertheless both the four-tone ring and the foghorn are, so it’s time to get used to it.