Every two weeks, the students of Bob Jones High School have begun spending an extra 20 minutes in their first block class. This time of the school day is specifically set aside for Advisory, a new program of Madison City Schools. This program has been implemented in the 2015-2016 school year as part of the school system’s School Improvement Plan.

This time is set aside for students to receive guidance from an adult and their peers on various subjects unrelated to the curriculum of the class. According to administrators Mrs. Thaxton and Mrs. Oliver, the main goal of Advisory is for students to form a connection with the school staff and their peers so that they may leave Bob Jones knowing there is always someone at the school who cares about them. A broad range of topics are discussed, such as kindness, body language, and time-management.

Some students, however, question the time management of the program itself. Will Davidson, a senior at Bob Jones High School, says of Advisory, “I think it’s very inefficient. We haven’t learned anything useful. The teachers and students both don’t take it seriously, so it’s hard to accomplish anything.” With only 7 hours and 12 minutes in each school day, every moment is valuable in furthering the students’ education. Should portions of this time be set aside for a program that does not contribute to this goal?

While many students share the opinion of Davidson, others disagree. Another senior of the school, Megan Ponder, expressed her favor towards the program. For Megan, the extra 20 minutes spent with the teacher and students of her first block class help them to “bond as a class” and “loosen up.”

It is generally agreed upon that the goal and purpose of Advisory is pure in motive. The matter in question seems to be execution. Can genuine relationships be formed through lesson plans formed by an administrative staff? How can any program be effective without compliance from those it is developed for?

Only time will tell of the success of Advisory. In the meantime, students can enjoy abbreviated class schedules twice a month.