For students, the “What I Need” (WIN) Block is supposed to be simple: a 28-minute break to get extra help, catch up, or take a breath. But this year, new rules and stricter enforcement have made WIN Block (an open block from 1:11 to 1:39 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday) one of the most closely watched parts of the school day.
At the center of this shift is SHS mathematics teacher Phill Blake, informally known among the students as the “WIN Block Cop” or the “WIN Reaper.” His role was created to manage attendance, enforce new policies, and ensure students are where they sign up to be during WIN Block.
According to Blake, the increased oversight came directly from administrative concerns: “The goal from administration is to make sure students are actually getting help and support during WIN Block,” he explained. Faculty complaints about students not attending scheduled MyFlex sessions and not using the time effectively have prompted school administrators to take action. Teachers sought accountability, and the administration responded with a new approach to structure.
This year’s changes mark a clear departure from past policies. Students who miss four WIN Blocks without reporting to their assigned location now receive a detention. While students are allowed flexibility to move around on the first day of a cycle and are not required to stay at their original homerooms, attendance is otherwise tracked very carefully, and Blake follows up with students who fail to report to their scheduled location.
Blake emphasized that his role is less about discipline and more about logistics. Managing attendance data, troubleshooting MyFlex technology issues with teachers and staff, and coordinating with teachers takes significant time–so much so that he teaches one fewer class to handle the workload: “It honestly takes more time than a class,” he explained.
Blake believes WIN Block plays a crucial role in the school day. He sees it as an opportunity for students to build connections with teachers, receive additional academic support, and address missed class time before problems escalate. He also noted that having a dedicated WIN Block administrator helps streamline communication and reduce intimidation with this new technology, framing the role as closer to a peer than an authority figure.
Still, the disciplinary aspect weighs on him: “The worst part is giving detention,” Blake admitted. “I don’t want people to gasp every time they see me walk into a room during WIN Block–I’m not always here to give consequences.”
However, many students remain unconvinced.
Senior Penny Murray disagrees with the strict crackdown on WIN Block scheduling and MyFlex use, commenting, “WIN Block is supposed to be a time to relax during the day without stress,” she said. “The policies reinforce the idea that you should always be working or meeting with teachers, but sometimes students just need a break to reset.”
Murray shared a personal experience in which she was marked absent for arriving late to her scheduled WIN Block class, which required an email exchange and a check-in with Mr. Blake to explain her tardiness. “It felt unnecessary,” she said.
While Murray agrees that WIN Block is important for reviewing material, getting extra help, or connecting with friends, she believes the current system limits its original purpose: “It’s not fair that students can’t just move freely during such a short break,” she noted, adding, “I understand signing up so the school knows where we are if they need to find us, but threatening detentions feels excessive.”
As the SHS community continues to refine how WIN Block functions, the tension between structure and flexibility remains unresolved. For now, WIN Block sits at a crossroads — caught between serving as a safety net for academic support and providing a stress-free space students can claim as their own.