Rumors have been spreading consistently throughout Portsmouth High School (PHS) about schedule changes for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year.

The Portsmouth School Board has recently voted to switch the start time from the early 7:30am,  to around 8:30am, releasing students around 3:30pm. This will apply to both middle and high school students.

PHS has yet to decide on a solidified time-specific schedule, but many schedule-ideas are being sent to teachers and staff about what next year will look like. The newest addition has brought a lot of attention from staff and students: the TASC block.

Many teachers already have their own block during the day, which is similar to what the students will soon have next year. Teachers have a 90-minute block during the day, considered their planning block, where they are able to get things done for their classroom and current classes. Portsmouth High is considering a similar approach, but for students.

The TASC block will be a block that is added to the normal schedule, in between second period and lunch. It will be a 40-minute period. The scheduling committee has come up with a schedule that we will the basis for next year, shown below (tentative schedule):

Block 1- 8:25 to 9:46

Block 2- 9:53 to 11:14

TASC- 11:21 to 12:01

Block 3- 12:36 to 1:57

Block 4- 2:04 to 3:25

TASC, from the information shared by teachers, will be a 40-minute period of the students day where they can meet with teachers and get any extra help they would need for their classes. Students will begin the week on Monday, with a type of “homeroom,” with a teacher who helps students decide where they want to be placed for the week and what teachers they will need to meet with. Students will then go for the rest of the week to their assigned classes to work with the teachers they chose.

As students were interviewed, many were unaware of what TASC was and its purpose. A freshman here at PHS, Hayley Currier, stated, “TASC will help, because some people take a language and aren’t able to get a study block like some students who already have it in their schedule. I don’t have a study center, so next year I will have a lot less homework because I get to have that block.” Hayley, being a basketball and softball player, was also worried about school sports and the timing, getting out of school later. “Sports are supposed to start at 3:30, but now we’re getting out of school at 3:30. For away games, we’ll probably have to leave school earlier and miss out on more class time to work with other schools schedules.”

Sudents at PHS are having mixed feelings about whether or not TASC will be beneficial. Some argue that it’s unnecessary for students who do not need the extra help and extra time with teachers, yet others think it will benefit the students who do need that one-on-one time with a teacher.

Students are eager to know about what next year’s schedule will look like, and about the differences with extra curricular activities. Hopefully, a final schedule will be provided soon and given to the staff and students of PHS to provide everyone with information about what the next few years of Portsmouth will bring.