The 2022-23 school year at AHS began with a new schedule that includes SET and 80-minute classes.

The past four years have seen four new schedules, influenced by Covid restrictions and changes. This year’s schedule consists of four 80-minute classes, 45-minute lunches, and early release Wednesdays once a month. It also includes 45-minute SET (Student Empowerment Time) classes every day – except Wednesday – after the first period when students can go meet with teachers, work on homework, or just have some time to take a break from school work. It also includes all eight class periods on Wednesdays for 45 minutes each class.

Sarah Strassburger, the AHS principal, played a role in the change by recognizing student feedback.

“A big complaint was also not being able to access teachers, 90-minute classes being too long, and then if students missed class for athletics, we had lots of complaints that they were always missing the same class,” Strassburger said.

The short Wednesdays once a month have had different reactions throughout the school. Early release Wednesday has all classes, periods 1 through 8, and all classes are shortened. Lots of students enjoy their time in the afternoon free, but feel that it should be more than only once a month. Teachers have different opinions on it.

Tameira Wilson, a social studies teacher at AHS has experienced a variety of different schedules over her 18 years at AHS.

“I actually hate early release Wednesdays, I think that either they have to do one or the other like a hybrid, every second Wednesday. Either do early release Wednesdays, or don’t have them,” Wilson said.

As for SET, it is a completely new structure. There are students saying it makes the day feel longer but also students that enjoy it and find it helpful. One big part of SET is the ability for students to go meet with teachers in order to get extra support. Becky Oliver, the AHS assistant principal, thinks it is very helpful for AHS students.

“Every teacher is available during that time of the day, where before you were just sitting in class, but you weren’t able to go work with the teacher you needed to work with. Now that we’ve given you the freedom to go to the teachers that you need support from, I think it is going to be successful,” OlivDer said.

Tommy Franceschi, the sophomore class president, has gathered insight from his classmates. He said that the 80-minute classes feel the same, but in general, the schedule has had a positive impact on the school.

“Set definitely helps finish my work a lot more. Last year I felt like I had to do all the homework by myself but now I can go to classes and it’s helpful for kids,” Franceschi said.