The Upper School schedule has experienced quite a few changes in recent years, from the removal of H Period lunch to the shift in scheduling for religious holidays. The most recent change has been the addition of “Auxiliary Classes.” The Auxiliary Classes, or “Aux” classes, are 45 minutes of each class rotationally added to the first part of H Block, after Community Time and before Collaborative Period. On Sept. 14, students experienced their first of these Aux periods, beginning with their A Block classes.

During his first Aux class, Dr. Ethan Graf, Neuroscience teacher, explored empathy and fear with his students through a series of surveys, which he thought was “a fun way to do something extra that we don’t have time for in a regular class” and that “got [the class] thinking about Neuroscience in a slightly different way.”

While Graf is optimistic, Derin Whitaker ‘24, on the other hand, said that Auxiliary classes can be “kind of unfavorable, because a lot of people already have three classes and now you basically have a fourth class that you have to go to.” Whitaker also complained about the fact that auxiliary classes result in “less time to spend with your advisory.” He says that while he had this opinion prior to his first auxiliary class, “it didn’t sink in until we actually had one.”

The Upper School will participate in 13 more Aux classes throughout the course of the semester, rotating through the normal A-G Block schedule.

“I think there is really good potential for students and teachers to be able to do things in this period that they may not have a chance to outside of a normal class period,” said Carla Federman, History and Social Sciences Department Chair.

Sam Glasser ‘26 expressed that, while “it’s good to deepen our connection to our teachers,” they should “make sure they’re teaching something that they are passionate about.”

Sanjana Gandhi ‘25 shared a similar sentiment, saying, “I hope I’m able to make better connections with my teachers and my peers,” She did note that these extra classes “seem kind of excessive”.

“It’s good to have a good break period,” Keshon Mims ‘26 said, hoping that teachers would use the time to teach “something new” so that he would be able to learn “something that wouldn’t really be tested on.”

While the opinion seems generally positive about these Aux courses, Federman pointed out that teachers are “going to make some mistakes, and that there will be a trial and error period,” but that the community will get better at using these extra class periods as the year continues.