Upon returning from Thanksgiving break, AcLab check-in moved back to the end of the school day after several staff members raised safety and attendance concerns about students skipping Aclab.

“We were seeing 20 students walk out the building during AcLab every day because there was no longer a level of accountability there for them,” said Principal Kerry Dolan. 

Concerns over attendance to AcLab check-in rose in the weeks before break.

“Kids were going down to the lobby and leaving the school early,” said English teacher Brian Bastyr. 

The change is a reversal from earlier this year when the short, 10-minute meeting with a student’s AcLab teacher was moved from 3:05 PM to 1:45 PM. The check-in now reverts to its original time. 

“From what I understand the [earlier change] was made because teachers wanted to be able to pull students for academic interventions,” said Dolan. According to the CPS website, academic interventions provide “intensive individualized instruction and intervention” for each student. 

“[Teachers] thought that if they were able to do it at the end [of Aclab], that it would be easier,” said Dolan. 

Concerns over the safety of students leaving school early is a concern among teachers.

“We found that so many students were checking in and just leaving the building, and that is a problem because it is not safe for the students,” said Bastyr.

AcLab’s main focus is to provide students with time to get extra help from teachers and to catch up on work. 

“I love AcLab because it gives me an opportunity to check in with my teachers, especially when I need to make up quizzes if I wasn’t here,” said Sophia Shen ‘27.

Student’s reception of the change has differed mostly based on their respective schedules. 

“I like [AcLab] at the end because it’s more convenient,” said Shen.