by Anna Bauman

The STA administration has moved pep rallies to activity period this school year to decrease the amount of lost class time. On days with pep rallies, the entire school will attend the pep rally first activity and then eat lunch in advisory second activity. Each class will remain 40 minutes like they are on a regular schedule.

Last year pep rallies took place at the end of the day, creating a special pep rally schedule with 35-minute classes. Teachers asked the administration to consider an alternative schedule because they were losing class time. The administration complied with their requests, understanding their desire for a full 40 minutes of class. According to principal of student affairs Mary Anne Hoecker, it was best for teachers.

French teacher Alice Amick agreed.

“There are so many special schedules that any effort to give us a regular school day really helps,” Amick said. “It benefits the students as much as the teachers.”

While some students appreciate full length classes, others would prefer shorter class times.

“I mean I would like any day to have shorter class periods,” junior Maggie Hutchison said.

Hutchison, a Spirit Club member, believes that moving pep rallies to earlier in the day could affect the pep rallies themselves. Spirit Club puts on most of the pep rallies.

“I think it might take away from the build up of excitement throughout the day, waiting to see what Spirit Club comes up with,” Hutchison said. “But I know there have been a lot of times where girls have to leave school early for sports and either can’t see the pep rally or can’t participate in it. So hopefully that won’t happen as much with the new arrangement.”