Dear Jenny Beth,

It has been one year since your article, “Air Academy” or Just “Air“ described the possibility of losing Academy time and what this would mean for the current students at Air Academy. As you may know, this possibility is no longer a “big IF” as Mr. Olson stated last year; Academy was removed from the 2016-2017 schedule, barely replaced by the infamous “Kadet Time.” Here’s what the schedule looks like now:

• Each blue and silver day is split into 4 classes of equal length, bisected by a 45 minute lunch.
• These classes are 80 minutes long on Kadet Time days and 90 minutes long on non-Kadet Time days.
• Kadet Time is a 40 minute, mandatory period added in between block 1 and block 2, but only on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
• On non-Kadet Time days, there is a 10 minute passing period between block 1 and block 2, yet all other passing periods are 5 minutes long.

Having experienced the old schedule for the past two years and the current schedule this year, I believe the new, Academy-less schedule is less beneficial for the students of Air Academy.

The addition of Kadet Time on 2 of the 5 weekly school days calls for two completely different schedules: one schedule for Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, and another for Wednesday and Thursday. Over the past two months, these dissimilar timetables have proven to be permanent nuisances to students and teachers alike. When asked for his thoughts on new schedule, junior Sam Choate tells me, “It’s been 2 months, and I still don’t know the exact time each block ends.” Even teachers must sometimes double check what time their students are released. The difference between 80 and 90 minute class periods also means that a lecture may fit perfectly into the allotted time one day and be cut short the next. As students, we might not always remember when to leave class, but at least we can reap the benefits of the recently added Kadet Time, right?

Well, the problem with Kadet Time is that it does not live up to the endless potential of Academy, especially when it boils down to clubs and other extracurriculars. Removing Academy meant the removal of precious opportunities for clubs to meet. Julia Gaubatz, president of Chemistry Club here at Air Academy, says that this year’s change in schedule has forced their beloved club to meet once every two weeks during Kadet Time instead of the weekly meetings held last year. Further, the strict regulation of Kadet Time means that a pass is required to attend any club or activity outside of your classroom. If you’re not on a club’s email list or did not get a pass beforehand, good luck convincing your teacher to let you go. With the lack of extra Academy time, clubs have also opted for lunch meetings. Some busy seniors mention that they have had up to 3 different clubs meet at the same time during lunch and were forced to pick and choose which to attend. Mrs. Robson, who sponsors multiple clubs at the school, states, “I sometimes wish we had more Kadet Time for students to do clubs and get help, but ultimately after trying it out for a while I think it has been very beneficial for student achievement.”

Mr. Gorr, who teaches AP U.S. History among other history classes, also recognizes the positive and negative aspects of Kadet Time, saying, “I miss [Academy] time to organize before second block, but I think my kids are using Kadet Time effectively. I used to use that time to help prep and get ready for the next class. That is the biggest negative. The biggest positive is the extra minutes in class.” Teachers like Mr. Gorr who fully utilize their class periods for lectures or activities are delighted by the extra minutes. However, some teachers may not feel the need to use the entire time, leaving students to “hang out” for the last 5-10 minutes of class.

Evidently, the new schedule is what you make of it. Personally, I enjoyed the freedom of Academy, where I could make the choice between doing homework or socializing—both important parts of the high school experience. Academy taught me to manage my time effectively, an essential skill for college and the world beyond. The mandatory aspect of Kadet Time ensures that students are getting the “instructional time” they need, but it also makes that decision for them. Students could be missing out on a significant learning opportunity, not on an Academic subject, but on how to live a responsible life. Academy was a taste of freedom and a lesson for an organized life.

Kadet Time was inevitable; Academy just could not meet the required amount of “instructional time” for our high school. So we need to make the best of it! Air Academy students are resilient, and I have no doubt we can adapt to this change. Kadet Time might not have the glory of Academy, but it would be wrong to not use the opportunity to the best of our ability. For homework or help, Kadet Time is a wonderful concept. Its drawbacks are no fault of intention, but rather a disappointing implementation.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Flat