Advisory and office hours pose many purposes for the Olathe North community. Students use this time to work on homework, receive help from teachers or friends, attend club meetings, and much more. Some students, however, use advisory only to nap or talk to friends.
As the school year progresses, it has been noticed by students and teachers alike that many days of advisory have been stopped for no movement. Whether it is because of assemblies, shortened schedules, or informational meetings, multiple days of academic intervention have been cut short due to other matters this year.
Some students do not have much of a problem with this predicament, as they use advisory for activities beyond homework Other students, however, are left feeling frustrated because they need to go to their teachers in order to receive help or make up assignments. No movement days stop the students from doing so.
Kathleen Bock, the darkroom photography teacher, has a very hands-on class. If a student is gone they need to make up the work they missed as soon as possible. Her class completes projects that cannot be made up outside of school because they use a darkroom and special chemicals and equipment to take photos. Multiple students come into her advisory every day to catch up on projects or receive extra help. On the days when advisory isn’t available, it leaves students having to find other times to make up their work, pushing back the process of said projects.
One week this year had two days of no movement, leaving only two periods of advisory for students and teachers.
“It was really bad timing and I had students who really needed to make up darkroom or class work,” Bock said.
These days of no advisory have posed the following question: Is advisory helpful? Many students have differing opinions on the matter.
“Most of the time I use advisory to do homework. I’d say it’s pretty helpful,” Victoria Sweany (10) said.
Advisory is also a nice break in a student’s schedule. It breaks up the morning and afternoon classes, letting students slow down and do whatever they need to in the forty-five minute class period.
“I use advisory for getting things done from other classes and I can also use it to take a break when I need one,” Lula Kapple (10) said.
Advisory also serves as a period for teachers to show their students lessons that may be required by the administration. For instance, seniors use some advisory periods to learn lessons regarding adulting and decisions they may face in their future. In the past few months, there have also been colleges coming in on different block days for any students interested in them.
Advisory has many useful features, whether it be for students to study and get work done or to simply take a break. However, there have been many days cut short for other activities or requirements. This can be a stressful thing for students and teachers, but they work together to complete whatever is needed for whoever needs it.