Ada High’s 2017-2018 school year is starting off with a brand new schedule and an enrichment period. Enrichment is the in-between class just before lunch, lasting twenty minutes.

This year’s bell schedule starts ten minutes early, at 7:50 a.m., and ends ten minutes later, at 3:10 p.m. This extra time is given to the enrichment period. The enrichment period is class time pulled aside during the day, and given to students who are ineligible in a class.

According to administration, the purpose of enrichment is to give these students a chance to work with their teachers to get extra help and complete missing assignments.

Some students, like senior Caleb Manning, like the idea of the new enrichment period. “I feel like it gives others a better chance to get back on track on the stuff that they’re behind on,” he said.

The new enrichment period, so far, seems to be having a positive impact according to Morgan Urlaub.

Urlaub said, “I think it’s really useful for kids who need help with homework and stuff, and to talk to teachers personally.”

However, as a result of the addition of the enrichment period to the schedule, the school day is slightly longer.

This is a problem for some people like junior Emily Ford.

“It’s harder to do things, like pick up my brother. Willard gets out at 3:00 and we get out at 3:10. I can’t pick him up on time,” Ford said.

Only time will tell if these new changes actually lower the number of academically ineligible students.