What is a new change you have noticed this school year? It could be policies for tardies or absences, or even some new choices in the cafeteria. Most everyone has noticed a new 39-minute period called WIN time. What is WIN and why do we have it? Recently, I interviewed HHS Principal Mr. Overlin on the new and unfamiliar program. The meaning of WIN is “What I Need.” The goal of having WIN is not to bore students; it is to allow us to get that extra needed time with our teachers. It also allows everyone to have their homeroom once a week, where students get to watch awesome and interesting videos Mrs.Teague and her team create! Additionally, with the new learning lab set in place, HHS has been seeing fewer failing students! 

How was WIN time created? Mr.Overlin and a group of HHS faculty and staff visited Watauga High School and obtained the idea of how to structure WIN time. Some of the challenges that have occurred with WIN time so far are when students need more time with one specific teacher, they may not be able to get one-on-one time with the specific teacher for days. According to Mr. Overlin, a goal for the second semester is to improve the overall effectiveness of WIN time,  “In the near future we would like to have learning lab days and more dynamic interactions between students and teachers.” 

HHS students have many thoughts and opinions about WIN time. Junior Emma Mashburn shares her thoughts, “I feel as though WIN time has helped me finish my late assignments more efficiently and it is just nice to have a study hall when needed.” Sophomore Olivia Ware also agrees that having learning lab days helps her complete her assignments more efficiently. CTE teacher Mrs. Jones appreciates learning lab time because it offers opportunities for clubs to meet, and for her club (FBLA) this has allowed them time to prepare for competitions. Not everyone agrees this has been a smooth change. One specific area of concern from sophomore Maddie Graves is the shorter transition times between classes. Whether you are a person who has seen some positive changes or some negative changes with WIN time, it is expected to be here for the future, and as the year progresses, hopefully, WIN time will benefit the HHS community.