Next school year, St. Louis High School leadership is considering changing to a six-hour schedule, but what’s the reason for the change, and will any new things come along with it?
Part of the sudden change is due to many people having a free class period, resulting in students needing to take an unwanted class they have no experience in, just to fill in that free period. Guidance Counselor Mrs. Sura states, “The purpose of the hour change was essentially explained to us as a way to lessen homework and give students more time to do work in school because of fewer hours and longer time within the hours we will have.”
The future schedule change also comes with rumors of an advisory period. Sura expanded on the topic, stating, “All that’s needed for the advisory period to officially happen is for the school board to approve it, which I expect will happen. If so, the period would take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays after third hour and before lunch.”
Furthermore, the schedule alteration will change the number of credits needed for each upcoming class to graduate due to the decreased number of elective opportunities. For example, the class of 2026 will only need to have 25 credits to graduate. Eventually, as the future classes graduate, the final requirement for credits should land on 22 and stay there.
Although some people support this change in the classes, some students, mainly freshmen and sophomores, dislike the change due to a tight schedule and the classes they want to choose. “I really don’t understand the point of the change,” states sophomore Lily Wing. “I just hope it doesn’t affect how students do VOC (vocational) next year because we still have to have our four core classes.”
This sudden change has left some students confused, but as the new school year approaches and schedules are finalized, students will have to learn to adapt.
