Many students see school days as being long, boring and tedious. They count down the hours until the bell rings, signalling the end of class. If you identify with these feelings, then a recent change to the schedule of LHS will be a welcome surprise. A district wide decision has been reached to shorten every Thursday by 30 minutes, or by five minutes per class.  This schedule change was put in place to allow LHS staff a meeting time to discuss future events, curriculum and issues within the community.

So far, LHS staff are quite happy with this recent change, citing the usefulness of having extra time to collaborate and plan with coworkers, as well as to get help with anything they may be struggling with.

“It only takes five minutes out of my class once every two weeks, so it’s really not a big deal,” said head of LHS drama department Andrew Ballnik, “and the kids certainly don’t mind that extra free time.”

Students almost unanimously agree that the shortened schedule is a positive change, with negative opinions being almost nonexistent.

“I’m all for it! With the shortened schedule, I can go home and have a snack before soccer practice,” said one student.

“I like it because it gives me more time to do homework. It allows more time for after-school activities or relaxation,” said another.

With all the recent changes to the district, this adjustment may seem minor. However, the ramifications are enormous. These few minutes scraped from each class will give teachers time to plan and collaborate, working on plans for the future. This will also lend students extra time with which they can work on homework (or so they claim).