Aria is a sophomore at Edge High School, and she picked the school for one reason: the schedule works for her life, not the other way around. Two years in, she has turned that flexibility into a system, arriving early most mornings and staying late when she needs to. Here’s what a day actually looks like for her, in her own words.
What made you choose Edge High School?
The flexible class schedule and self-paced classes.
Walk us through your day at Edge
In my second year at Edge, I now come early and stay late in order to get as much school work done as possible. I get there between 8-8:15. I work on math till my regular start time, 9:13, and then go to science. I work on science until 10:26, and then go to English. In English I either work on Edgenuity or an essay if I have one, and then I go to the IXL period in the history/science room. Then I have a break and eat lunch. Then I have math for my last official class, staying there until 2:45-4:00, depending on what I have on my personal schedule.
How do you decide what to work on first each day? Do you follow a set schedule or build your own as you go?
I follow a set schedule.
What’s your favorite part of the day, and what would you change?
My favorite part of the day is math because I’m so close to being done with it. I would change IXL period because I don’t think it does anything for me.
Tell us something you’re excited about right now.
The elective that I’m excited about is Jeopardy because I love trivia and competition.
How do you balance schoolwork with everything else going on in your life?
I use a planner and write in my schedule what I need to do that night in order to manage my time well.
What does support from a teacher look like for you?
Support from a teacher is answering my little questions, not just telling me the answer. I get stuck with longer math sequences and confusing English comprehension questions, and my teachers focus on helping me with the part that I get confused on.
How has your relationship with learning changed since starting at Edge?
I used to think learning was a big thing, and that it had to consume my life, but now I am able to realize that I can have a balance between schoolwork and life.
What do you wish more people understood about a flexible school day?
I wish people understood that this school results in the same diploma as a regular high school, and that students here work hard.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I would like to be in an international university of some sort studying something in the medical field, and I think Edge is helping me get there by helping me learn without the pressure that some other high schools give you.
What advice would you give a student on the fence about switching to Edge?
Edge is the perfect school for someone who wants a better relationship with their work/life balance.
Aria’s day shows what a flexible schedule can do when a student actually uses the flexibility. She built a planner-driven routine around math, science, English, and IXL, then protected her afternoons for whatever else her personal schedule calls for. Two years at Edge changed how she thinks about school itself. She used to see it as something that had to take over her life. Now it’s one piece she balances against everything else she cares about.
About Edge High School
For 30 years, Edge has been serving Tucson youth with a tuition-free, Cognia-accredited, high school education. We provide an alternative to traditional education, meeting the diverse learning and life needs of our students with online distance learning, in-person and flexible morning or afternoon schedules at two conveniently located campuses. Our high-quality, passionate teachers are dedicated to individualized instruction in our small academic classes. Get to know Edge on Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. Be you. With us. At Edge.