The new schedule, particularly the move of ASB to the end of the school day, has proven controversial among students. Academic Support Block serves as a flex period when students can complete work, meet with teachers, or receive other forms of academic help. Previously, it was located in the earlier half of the school day, from 10:20 to 10:50 a.m. It gave students a break in the middle of classes to talk to teachers or friends, complete work, and, for some, play games.
Now, with its relocation, some students may find its placement at the end of the school day inconvenient, especially athletes who have frequent early dismissals.
Even with these drawbacks, however, students should give the new schedule a chance. With ASB at the end of the school day, students will have attended all of their classes and received their assignments for the day. Then, at the end of the day, students can return with questions while the material is fresh in their minds, clarify what they need to study for a test, or start their homework.
Similarly, students can ask their teachers in person rather than emailing them after school, when they may not be available.
Although moving ASB to the end of the day may make it feel like students have lost free time, a midday break can also interrupt the flow of the academic day. For some students, playing a game or doing something unrelated to schoolwork during ASB can make it harder to settle back into the next lesson. Moving ASB to the end of the day creates a more continuous stretch of classes without a midday flex period interrupting the academic schedule.
The largest tradeoff is that students may be tired by the time ASB begins. It is reasonable for students to wonder about their productivity or willingness to work when they are about to go home or head to sports. For ASB to be productive, students need to stay engaged, and teachers will need to be available. Getting work done during ASB, though seemingly small, can reduce the workload students bring home.
The old ASB offered a refreshing break, and students have good reasons for missing it. But the 2026–2027 schedule also gives ASB a new purpose at the end of the academic day, when students can address questions and begin assignments while their classes are still fresh in their minds. These benefits deserve a fair chance before we can confidently judge whether this schedule change was a mistake.