Leaving during AACP time is an option for upperclassmen who meet certain criteria, the NHS administration team announced in November. 

When the release option was presented, it was made clear that there is certain criteria that needs to be met. These requirements include no failing grades, no beginning in any future readiness scores, no more than five unexcused classes, and being on track to graduate. If students do not not meet these requirements, they are not able to leave during AACP.

Recently, Associate Principal Tim Kachur explained the reasoning behind the requirements. “If you’re meeting all those things, great, but let’s find the people that might be falling through the cracks and may have otherwise in the other system kind of skated by and just went on their way. Now we can address that and help them out,” Kachur said. 

This decision was primarily made as an opportunity for students to connect to an adult in the school and get remediation in their classes.

In an article written on The New York Times, a senior lecturer at Stanford University explains how advisory periods promote student and teacher connections. This leads to students being more engaged in their learning, as well as working on study skills and participating in activities. Overall, the NHS administration wants to slow down the school day and relieve some of the pressure that is put on students.

Creating this period opens up time for everyone, including those who are not struggling in classes. Along with remediation, students can sign up for enrichment opportunities. Even with other opportunities, many students felt that this period was an obligation that did little for them. Upperclassmen who were getting good grades wanted to use the time to do other things, like go to work or spend time at home. This is when the idea of release for AACP actually came up. After careful consideration, the administration team decided to go through with a release.

Teachers and students throughout NHS have varying opinions on whether or not a release is the right move for AACP. Mrs. Theresa Rassmussen, math teacher and senior advisor, expressed that upperclassmen should be able to leave, but it needs to be understood that it is a privilege instead of a right.

Associate Principal Tim Kachur discussed these requirements and confirmed the importance behind them. He explained how in the previous system, it was easy for a student to fall through the cracks and slide by unnoticed with failing grades and unexcused absences. With this new system, it is easier for a student to get the help they need. In the past, if a student did not meet similar requirements, a study hall was put in place of their release if they had one. With the new system, losing a release is not an option in most cases, and AACP release would be taken away first. 

Senior Austin Price had something to say about AACP too. He feels that if release was not an option, AACP would be pointless for seniors because it is only useful for college applications, which is almost over for many. The advisory portion is meant to help specific grade levels with things that will impact them, like ACT preparation for juniors or college and career planning. He feels, however, that AACP can be beneficial for students to do homework or other things they normally would not have time to do.

“For sophomores and especially freshmen, it’s important. It will take a while to actually pay off but it will be effective in the long run even though we don’t like it right now as seniors,” Price said.

He also feels that not many teachers take the lessons seriously, so it turns into a study hall, which is something that most seniors have not had in two years. “If all teachers would take it upon themselves and put time into the lessons, it would help engage students rather than just having it be a mandatory tutorial,” Price said. 

There has been some discussion on changing Advisory and AACP to be one full 90-minute period instead of two 40-minute periods. This would allow students to spend time with specific teachers getting the help they need rather than having lessons with one specific teacher.

With the common theme of change this year, all students have to do is wait to receive more answers.