To FLEX or not to FLEX?

Despite a highly anticipated change, Cannon Falls High School has opted out of the new FLEX schedule.

Anna Dubbels, News Editor|October 8, 2019

Lantern Staff

If Cannon Falls High School switched to a FLEX schedule, time would fly by a little faster in class.

At the end of the 2018-2019 school year, the idea of flex time was introduced. Flex time is time that was going to be provided during the school day. Time was going to be reduced from 54 minutes in each class to 48 minutes. That would allow an extra 30 minutes after lunch to get homework done or have club meetings. Not everyone knew exactly how it was going to work.  Not even the teachers. But by the time 2019-2020 school year came around everyone was ready for flex time to be a new regular in the schedule

Ultimately the goal was to get rid of study halls. The new period would allow students to take more elective classes and not have instead of using one as a study hall. However, The 2019-2020 school year flex time was introduced students would still be allowed to have a study hall because classes were already signed up for.  Sophomore Bianca Caputo says, “I was really excited to have the chance to take more elective classes. I won’t have to sign up for a study hall to stay on top of all my work.” The following years however, study halls were going to be a thing of the past. The idea for many students of having more chances to take different elective classes is great.

Once open house came around for the 2019-2020 school year, students were faced with the fact that flex time was no more. “ I was disappointed when flex time wasn’t on the schedule. It was going to give me more time to get work done for all of my classes,” Olivia Vilarreal commented. The reason behind the cancelation is the teachers weren’t contracted to work all those hours during the day. It came as a shock to everyone when our schedules didn’t have a flex time block printed on them.

Despite no longer having FLEX, the change may have been for the better. The new schedule may not have worked out because the small cafeteria may not have accommodated the entire high school. Some students are hoping for flex time in the future. Hopefully that can be arranged.