The start of the 2017-2018 school year here at Portsmouth High School came with many new changes. Starting time was adjusted from 7:30 to 8:20 and a new block was introduced. This block is better known as TASC, or Teachers in Academic Support Centers.

TASC is a 40 minute block incorporated into students’ daily schedule where they are given the chance to schedule themselves into a different class each day that they need extra help in or to ask teachers questions. This block sounds like a new way to encourage students to get extra help but is it ending up to be more of a hassle than it is helpful?

Doreen George, a science teacher here at PHS says, “My students do not use their time wisely during TASC. Teachers waste their time having to schedule every student and it makes my job harder by taking time away from the curriculum that must be taught.”

Many other teachers have voiced opinions very similar to this one. George says, “TASC has encouraged laziness. Students rely on teachers to TASC them in if they are falling behind instead of taking the initiative to get extra help themselves. Students should recognize when they are falling behind and when they need to get extra help, it should not be my responsibility to remind them.”

Since this is Portsmouth’s first year using TASC, teachers and students are still getting used to the idea. One student has a different perspective on TASC saying, “I believe TASC is extremely helpful. It helps me get ahead in classes and also helps me prepare for tests. I think that other kids who do not see TASC as helpful are not focused on an individual level which results in frustrated teachers.”

Although students and teachers show different opinions on this topic, TASC is being  used productively by many of the students of PHS. Hopefully as it becomes a more regular routine, TASC will become as helpful as it was set out to be.