The 2024-25 school year brought many changes, including those to the homeroom system. Third period homeroom has been a mandatory class for all students since the program began in the 2022-23 school year. The program is meant to help students academically, socially and emotionally and to assist them with their college and career readiness. 

“I guess it’s just the break that it gives everybody in the day to kind of take a deep breath and make sure their day is in order,” social studies teacher Jessica McNally said. 

The Kaneland administration has changed the homeroom system each year to allow the class to fit the needs of both students and staff. This year’s changes included almost all students and staff members being moved to a different homeroom group. This differs from the initial plan to keep the same homeroom classes throughout high school in order to build community.

Assistant Principal of Student Services Larry King said the changes were based on student and staff responses from surveys that were conducted in the spring of the 2023-24 school year. 

“The groups were adjusted in order to balance each grade level equally,” King said. 

Students use homeroom in many different ways. Some use it to complete homework, work with teachers, prepare for their next class or take a moment to relax and mentally reset. 

Students can also move to other classrooms and get help from teachers each day of the week, unlike last year when movement was not permitted on Mondays. Lessons that involve college and career advice, tips on how to get a job and presentations related to social-emotional health will be held in the auditorium once a month for each grade level.

Some students find the class to be more helpful than others. Despite it having many intended benefits, for some it is not worth the extra 30 minutes in school each day. 

“I guess it’s helpful to have it for people who don’t have a study hall, but I have a study hall right after [homeroom], so it is just not the most helpful thing,” junior Aiden Ross said.