Though summer vacation sadly ended last month, the NDB community started off the new school year with new teachers, new classmates, new bathrooms, and especially a new schedule.

For freshman reading this, last year, we had 9:20a.m. late starts on B-Days with morning Teacher Office Hours (TOH) on B-Days only. This year, the schedule was changed to 8:30a.m. late starts everyday with afternoon TOH on B-Days only. Even though we had them last year, we have have TOH far more often now.

So, does afternoon TOH really work? In my experience, yes. It is a good time for students to do homework, meet with teachers, and work on group projects. I use it to do my homework which reduces the amount of time I spend on it at home.

TOH is a good time to meet up with your teachers if you need help on assignments or are confused on the lesson you are trying to learn. Do not be afraid to ask for help from your teachers because it’s their job to teach you concepts that you may not be familiar with.

You can make up any tests you were absent for during TOH, so you don’t have to come early or stay late after school. You can even work on group projects during TOH, so you don’t have to meet up outside of school where schedule conflicts can be an issue. If you don’t have any work to do, you can use this time to do weights, so you don’t have to rush to do them at the last minute at the end of the school year.

Sophomore Kassie Cleland said, “I find it helpful sometimes, but it depends on where you are because, if I go to the dining hall, it can be distracting because everyone’s talking with their friends. But, if you stay in your homeroom, it’s easier to get your work done.”

I agree with Kassie because TOH with your friends can be distracting, but if you stay focused and work productively, you can get your homework done.

Last year, we hardly had any TOH and students didn’t get that much of an opportunity to do work at school.

The only thing I do miss about 9:20a.m. late start days is getting an extra hour of sleep, but the new schedule change to 8:30a.m. is good, too.

Afternoon TOH is a better opportunity to ask for help from teachers because you are already at school. It is great way for me to get my homework done, so I have more time to relax from an 8-hour school day at home.  Overall, it is a positive change that allows students to manage their time more effectively.