Travel time poses problems for Da Vinci split-site students
By Yrenly Yuan,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–
Da Vinci High School students have the option to take classes offered at Davis High that are not available at their own school; common courses that DVHS students take at DHS include higher-level language classes, speech and debate and music classes.
However, it can take 10-15 minutes to get from one school to the other, and with only six minutes allotted between classes at DHS, Da Vinci students are often in a rush to be on time and are often tardy.
DVHS junior Sierra Marie decided to take classes at DHS because she wanted to take higher-level French and choir classes not offered at DVHS.
Although Marie is negatively impacted by the travel time, she is willing to go between the schools in order to take the classes she wants.
Davis High principal Will Brown believes that “having DVHS students on our campus is a huge positive as there is more diversity of thought in our classrooms.”
DVHS senior Jake Young agrees with Brown. He decided to take classes at DHS because he wanted to take Jazz Band and AP Physics.
“I already did Physics Honors at DVHS and we don’t have a music program there, and it’s nice to be a part of two schools,” Young said.
Young has been traveling between the two schools for the last three years and while he thinks that the travel time is troublesome, it is often shortened when students carpool with each other.
While some students have to quickly get between the schools in one period–meaning they may have to leave their previous class early or be tardy to the next one–Young is lucky because his classes are after the lunch break, which gives him “more time than others to travel back and forth.”
Marie thinks that the travel time is sometimes enjoyable. “It is kind of nice to have small breaks in between your day,” she said.
Marie believes that the current DVHS policies on traveling are sufficient, because “Da Vinci does give us enough time to travel to our class on time.”
While Marie notes that it is not okay to be late every day from Da Vinci, she appreciates that her DHS teachers are understanding of her tardiness from time to time, because her journey can be affected by traffic, trains or construction.
