As a new school year starts here at South High comes more changes in rules and policies.

Last year one major change students noticed was that Spirit Night to focus on and include all fall sports, and did not coincide with the first home football game. This was the case again this year.

This school year, major changes include reducing the passing time between classes from 7 to 6 minutes, and having three lunch shifts instead of four.change in the Academic Lab schedule. Last year’s Academic Lab schedule would consist of a 20 minute “ACT time” where you could visit up to three teachers to pick up work and ask a quick question about what you where currently working on in class, and there was also two 25 minute “Mods” where you would be in that teacher’s classroom for the full 25 minutes if you needed more one on one help with classwork. This year however the schedule does not include any “ACT time” but instead three 20 minute mods along with lots of confusion on the bell schedule during Academic Lab.

For Riya Mehta, junior, the numerous bells during Ac. Lab is what she finds most bothersome. 

“The bells are often confusing for me and even my teachers. I understand why the Ac. Lab and class change was necessary but it seems overcomplicated,” said Mehta.

This confusion is common because on an average Blue Day at South High students will hear 21 bells (not including lunch bells).

For junior Trey Jenkins, he finds the change in the schedule “ridiculous.”

“I think it is ridiculous they would mess up the whole schedule instead of punishing the kids that don’t use the time for what they’re supposed to,” said Jenkins.

South High administrator Angie Pappus-Muyco explains why the decision to change Ac. Lab was made. 

“It was a decision made in collaboration with the department teacher leaders and the administrative team at South High School. The new structure will help students better manage their academic goals, and students will hopefully learn to manage their time more effectively,” said Pappas-Muyco.

South High teacher Andy Seavey was glad to see the new Academic Lab schedule.

“I prefer the new schedule because it creates a more focused hour and a half with less kids walking the halls and it allows teachers to dedicate more time specifically to students, I could see, however,  that students might find this new schedule inconvenient as it might make them have to plan in advance,” said Seavey.