Falcon Block in the Morning

Is having Falcon Block after first period helping seniors?

Sarah Sternhagen

After having new start and end times, daily cancellations of Falcon Block and several changes in policy to seniors with early release using advisory as their Falcon Block, SPHS has finally settled on a schedule. Now with Falcon Block after first period Tuesday through Friday many seniors are able to get help with their work again, and not worry about a daily change ins cheduals. “It’s hard to find a routine to be successful if everything around us keeps changing,” senior Tatum Sale said.

Sarah Sternhagen, Co-Editor in Chief

Since the start of the year Falcon Block has gone from happening after third period to after first, a change that was made after many seniors were having trouble finding a time they could go to teachers for extra help, makeup work and redo’s.

“Having Falcon Block after third was hard because coming back to the school isn’t really an option…the only days I could redo something or stay for a club or meeting were A days and that doesn’t always line up,” senior Tatum Sale said.

Because the majority of seniors have a shortened schedule, since they already possess the necessary credits to graduate, many seniors leave early in the day and don’t stay till third period. This made it hard for seniors with shortened schedules to get time to get help, make up work and complete redo’s.

“It was hard trying to stay involved when I could only stay a few days,” Sale said.

However, when SPHS switched Falcon Block and Advisory’s times in the schedule, putting Falcon Block after 1st period Tuesday through Friday and advisory after third, it had a massive impact on the issues before. 

“I think it was a pretty big improvement because I usually ended up going to one of my classes, and when I couldn’t [before] it was a hindrance,” senior Ella Merrell said. 

Now seniors can easily go to clubs, get help and do their make-up assessments much easier than before. Since even seniors with only one class that day don’t have to worry about coming back to the building several hours later, many have taken the opportunity to spend more time in one of their classes.

“It gives us a lot more time to get time with our teachers, because we’re actually able to choose [where we go], not just our homeroom advisory,” Merrell said.

The choice to switch the two periods Tuesday through Friday has helped many seniors, and is a welcome choice. Though there were several canceled days of Falcon Block earlier in the year, since the change there have been far fewer. Whether it is because of the change or not, there are definitely many students who were more than happy to have Flacon Block after the first period.