NORTH ANDOVER - This fall, North Andover High School will replace 40 minutes of regular class time each day with a session allowing students one-on-one time with teachers.

The time will be called "seminar," said Assistant Principal Gregg Gilligan, and it will allow teachers to stray from routine lecturing to take time with students individually. Teachers can answer their questions, help with homework or let students make up tests, according to school officials.

"It's going to give some down time in the day for both teachers and students, which is good," said 17-year-old student Constantine Moraites. "I think both the faculty and the students were getting stressed out just going class to class, and also (this will) bring some variety back to the day."

Moraites, along with fellow senior Morgan Healey, 17, were among those who met with school officials to help plan the new schedule.

Healey said it will be a big help to the students.

"It will just give a much needed break in the middle of the day for students to just catch up with whatever they need to catch up on," she said.

Interim Superintendent James Marini said the new schedule will allow students and teachers to take "a break from a planned instructional lesson." The school does not offer study hall, and "seminar" will not add time to the regular school day.

"It will be a time for the teachers and the kids to catch up with each other," Marini said.

Dianne Freiermuth, a 12th-grade history teacher, was one of the people who was instrumental in planning the new schedule.

The teachers last year taught during five of the six periods, had a 20-minute lunch - just like the students - and had one period that they used to prepare for their classes, she said.

They'll still be with students for five periods a day, but now one of those periods will be spent in this new seminar.

"The problem with our schedule was that our pace was so quick - the kids were rushing off to the next class and you didn't have time to catch up with them," she said.

It is difficult for students who play sports, have a job or participate in activities to make it to extra help after school, she said.