At the start of this school year, many changes were made. Notable examples of this were how Flex Time was moved to the middle of the day and how you are now able to choose when you go to lunch, rather than having lunch at a set time each day. But one thing that many students miss from previous years is open study halls for the first and fourth period for all students. Students want these open study halls to return for a multitude of reasons.
One reason that open study halls should be available to all students is that they allow students to be more well-rested. Being able to arrive late or leave early allows students to wake up later or go to bed earlier, providing them with better sleep quality and enabling them to be more energized and productive throughout the day. Also, being able to go outside into the fresh air and socialize outside of the building can help reduce stress and burnout in students, which supports mental health and overall well-being.
These study halls also give students more free time. Whether this is eating a longer breakfast in the morning or spending more time with your family at night, open study halls would allow for more leisure time and thus would promote student happiness.
Furthermore, open study halls support different learning styles. Some students focus better while working in their homes, for others, the library, or maybe there’s another place where they do their best work. Allowing students to leave during these study halls gives them the opportunity to study where they are most comfortable, which can help those who are struggling in a specific class or who can’t focus while in the school building. Additionally, students who have completed all their homework should not be required to stay in the building with nothing to do.
Now, of course, there are some benefits to not allowing students to leave as well. This includes easier supervision, better safety, support for students who need help, and stronger student-teacher relationships.
Overall, both open and closed study halls have their benefits, but many students are hoping to see open study halls for everyone return in the near future!