Following several semesters of changing bell schedules, the beginning of the 2013-14 school year brings change yet again. This time, however, the variation in the schedule could be seen as an advantage to students. Just 27 minutes can make a difference, and those 27 minutes have been carved out of the regular school day schedule to assist students in academic areas they may be struggling in.
The intervention period allows students to seek help from teachers whose classes they are having trouble in. Students who received an “in progress (IP)” grade at the end of the second semester last year are given the opportunity to raise their grade in that class during the intervention time. Taking care of IPs was part of the motivation for developing the period. Intervention provides those students a chance to visit with their teacher about raising their grade to pass. Otherwise, that student would have to come in on their own time or during the weekly Pirate Advocacy Time (PAT).

For students who are staying ahead in their classes, intervention can be used for various activities including yearbook, journalism, swing dance or open gym. Others may simply use the time to complete homework or study.

Some students argue intervention will soon turn into a class similar to the literacy time that took place two years ago, but intervention is different. This time rewards students who stay ahead in their classes, while assisting those who may be falling behind, as opposed to mandating silent reading for a solid 30 minutes for every student.

Intervention time is especially useful to student athletes. Traveling weekly for away games makes keeping up on class work all the more challenging. Intervention provides those students with a chance to attain help from a teacher or complete homework they may not have time to do when traveling for an away game.

With the new intervention period, students have the opportunity to seek help at some point nearly every day of the week, whereas PAT takes place once a week. Intervention also generates a more convenient way to accomplish the daily work load. The newly added intervention period is a tremendous gain for students wanting to stay ahead in their classes. If the time is used wisely, much can be accomplished in that short 27 minutes.