Starting this year, students at Petaluma and Casa Grande high schools are adjusting to a new daily bell schedule that Petaluma City Schools district officials said was “designed to increase equity, expand opportunity, and ensure every student’s schedule reflects their needs and goals.”

The new bell schedule — which had been discussed for the past two school years but only just went into effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year in mid-August — moved students from a six-period day to a seven-period day. Classes follow a consistent, fixed weekly schedule, and students are able to take advantage of an “advisory” period built into the week.

“This new structure replaces the previous rotating (A/B Day) schedule and gives students a consistent, balanced routine that enhances both academic focus and support,” district leaders said in their Aug. 6 announcement of the new schedule on Parentsquare.

With classes beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day, Mondays act as “C” days, with first and second period followed by a 10-minute nutrition break, then third and fourth periods followed by a half-hour lunch, with fifth through seventh periods closing out the day and school ending at 3:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are considered “A” days, which feature first through fourth periods and school release at 3:25 p.m.

Wednesdays and Fridays are considered “B” days, in which students attend periods five through seven, followed by the advisory period between 2 and 3 p.m. School then releases at 3 p.m. on those days.

As a result of the new scheduling system, the district said, students can now “explore a broader range of classes across our rich elective programs without losing access to core academic subjects.”

“In the past, students who needed academic support, such as multilingual learners or students with disabilities, often missed out on electives,” the district said. “Now, all students can access both support and electives — ensuring they get the well-rounded education they deserve.”

District leaders also said the new schedule benefits a variety of educational strategies: career technical education pathways, Advanced Placement coursework, internship opportunities and more.

“This shift reflects our shared mission: to graduate every PCS student prepared for college, career, and life — with access to the opportunities they need to succeed,” the district said.