02 opinion

The Trojan Torch

Volume 66, Issue 1
October 28, 2015
Editor-in-Chief:
Sarah Bommer
Opinion Editor:
Ashley Widner
News Editor:
Kaitlin Rietkerk
Feature Editor:
Emily Totten
Online Editor
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Photo Editor:
Maiah Lesher
Staff Writers
Hannah Arendsen16
Logan Bundle16
Alivia Conn16
Grant Harrison16
Haley Holly16
Lisa Hough16
Trent Joynt16
Alyssa Lovdahl16
Chase Marshall16
Katie Mcmahon16
Angela Millar16
Quinn Newland16
Maya Pell16
Kaitlin Ristau16
Joshua Rumsey16
Nathen Scott16
Chloe Selner16
Leslie Shaw16
Tyler Smith16
Austin Topp16
Derick Weckerle16
Allison Zyzelewski16
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october 28, 2015

the trojan torch

Index
Opinion.......................................2
News............................................5
Feature........................................8
Lifestyle.....................................11
Advertisments.........................13
Sports........................................14

trojantorch.com

No need to fear, RTI time is here

BY TRENT JOYNT
STAFF EDITOR
Plus time is a new addition to
Plainwell Schools this year where
every Tuesday and Thursday, 45
minutes are taken away from
classes to put towards homework,
extra help, or just productivity in
general.
Plus Time is seen around the
school as a waste and frankly a
failed attempt to promote academic success.
Plus time honestly is nap
time, says Jared Thompke 16.
According to Thompke, plus time
is a decent idea, executed poorly.
Not only is it placed at the
wrong time of the day because
I already finished all my homework now Im going to go and
sit in a fake class for 45 minutes

wishing I didnt do my homework

last night? said Thompke.
Thompke puts out a good
point, yes it maybe placed improperly, and any new addition
to school is going to be flawed at
first. But giving all students equal
opportunity to get extra help with
teachers with their harder classes will eventually bring up their
GPAs.
It will also boost school-wide
scores on standardized tests.
With that being said, I feel
staff could regulate plus time in
several different ways other than
what they are currently doing.
Some ideas they currently
have, such as signing in and out
of classes, is smart and needed in
a program like this; but when all
teachers dont have the sign in
sheets available, it makes everything harder.

In a personal experience for

example, teachers are having to
email back and forth just to get
a student where they need to go.
And, frankly, it is inefficient.
Overall this program could be
a huge success, but its lacking the
tools to make everything smooth.
Placing plus time after fifth
hour would allow students to get
help on the material assigned that
night instead of the one previous.
That way they could not only get
their homework done, if they ran
into a problem with it it could be
more easily resolved.
Until this happens students
will continue to find Plus Time
not only as a waste, but as the
complete opposite of its goals.
Because not only is it placed improperly in the schedule, but also
draws time away from peoples
important classes.

Online Stories:
Current articles:
a personality profile of a
favorite lunch lady, info on
college week, and a recap of
last weeks assembly.
Check out these articles to
be posted later this week:
Quinn Newlands new Netflix
recommendations, and
Derick Weckerles opinion
piece on the hat policy
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This student doesnt need to stress about homework due to extra work time in Plus Time. Photo by Maiah Lesher.