This school year,  the bell schedule is different from what it has been in years prior. With new lunch times and the Academic Enrichment Period (AEP) being after third period, GHS is facing a huge change.

Many students don’t know what AEP’s purpose is. Some think it is for homework or visiting with teachers, while others see it as a social hour. The school is attempting to change this by making AEP a time when they share MTSS lessons and through creating an environment for students to focus solely on their work.

“This time can be used as a study hall, which some students may not have in their schedule,” science teacher Mr. Sean Cunningham said. “It’s also a chance to create relationships with students that you have in your other classes.” 

In years past, AEP has been a twenty minute period at the very end of the school day on Tuesdays through Thursdays. Now, it occurs each day immediately after third hour. Many students and teachers have mixed emotions about AEP being at a different time, as well as the new rules regarding the time. The new rules include no phone use and not leaving to see teachers in other classrooms.

“I liked AEP at the end of the day like in years past,” senior Zoe Schuka said. “Although it is still nice to have that time period during the day, I am one who keeps up with homework so I usually do not have anything to do.”

While some students disagree with the change of the bell schedule, others have a more positive opinion on the change. Each period now begins and ends in a multiple of five, making it much simpler to remember when to be in the classroom.

“I like it because it’s easy to know when classes end,” freshman Kailynn Melendez said. “There aren’t really any super random times when the bell rings.”

Another change this year is with the start of the day. With morning announcements being canceled this year, there was some upset among a number of students. The morning announcements of years prior discussed what was being served for lunch, what activities were going on, and most of the students’ favorite, joke of the day. 

“I think there should be morning announcements so that way everyone can hear important announcements while they’re giving their full attention to them,” Schuka said. “Not everyone looks at the Google doc with the announcements.” 

The students and staff of GHS are still adjusting to the new schedule. With all of the changes, the new school year is something that will take getting used to.