This year will be the last that some upperclassmen are allowed to take off either first or eighth hour at Antioch Community High School. Next year, in an effort to help both the students and the school, there will be a change to this; students will no longer be able to come in after first hour or leave after seventh hour.

“Over 200 students  were entering the school later or leaving earlier,” said Omar Rodriguez, ACHS Assistant Principal for Student Services. “With all of these students out, it causes problems for hiring staff. With less students in school, there is no room for the school to grow and hire teachers. It also leaves teachers with less classes than they  should have.”

Having all of the kids in school will let the school grow and offer kids the ability to take more elective classes. There will be exemptions for students who have certain circumstances that make it so they cannot stay for first or eighth hour.

This decision will not affect early graduation for seniors. Although students at ACHS may not support this decision now, it will benefit them in the future.

“This is part of a push by the school to increase the rigor in students’ schedules. It will make our school both more competitive, but also make the students more desirable when it comes for them to either enter the workplace or go on to get a higher education at a college,” said Rodriguez.