With the freshman moving up to the high school next year many changes are being made. Among them, administration is looking into adding a flex period in which students can study and have a break between classes during lunch hours.

In having PLC Wednesdays students are able to get a couple extra minutes of sleep, catch up on homework or visit with friends. Because teachers are in meetings in those 15 minutes every Wednesday, they are unavailable to help students. With a flex period in the middle of the day students will be allowed to foster relationships with their teachers.

“The three objectives of ‘Pony Time,’ or flex time, are: relationship building, academic success and social/emotional well being,” Assistant Principal Matt Kraft said.

As the specifics of Pony Time are currently being discussed, there is not yet a woven description of what Pony Time will be or when it will occur, leaving many different possibilities. Through it all however, there are many people working on the project to ensure the program’s success.

“There will be some sort of flex time schedule for 2017-18 school year,” Kraft said. “There is a committee of 15 staff, students, and parents that are working diligently to put together a final proposal.”

In some students’ eyes, Pony Time may allow them to benefit from the possible study periods both in out of school activities and extracurriculars.

“I like the idea of having early release on PLC days because it would open up more time after school for activities,” junior Amelia Torgerson said. “Additionally, the plan to have a flex hour seems nice as it would allow people to make up tests, meet up for clubs, or do other things that might otherwise take up time either before or after school.”

With a proposal not being drawn until mid-May, many students and staff are left wondering if the overall transition will be successful and how it will have a long-lasting impact on the community.

“I think that the best change that the administration can make is to try to accommodate all of the grades that will be in the high school next year, including the 9th graders,” junior Isaac Goetzke said. “With the new ‘Pony Time,’ the lunch structure will be a lot more efficient than it would be with the current system, as well as setting aside time for seniors and juniors to have a study hall.”

The committee deciding the logistics of Pony Time is hopeful to bring about a stronger mental health in students.

“We have extremely busy students who have challenges staying after school to get help from teachers. These busy lives also bring about more stress and anxiety. We want healthy, happy students who all have an equal chance to strive and excel,” Katherine Barre, Pony Time committee member and sophomore English teacher said. “We hope to provide more learning opportunities to all students.”