An essay-writing pencil taps on a table, a textbook page is flipped and a student high-fives a friend after finishing an assignment as a mere 45 percent of students work on classwork and homework during their optional study hall period.
Every year, over 900 students sign up for classes via Infinite Campus. 2015’s first semester welcomed 47 percent of all students into a study hall, only to see numbers drop second semester to 45 percent.
“Study hall is a great option,” Principal Jeremy Michell said. “It’s a very individualized opportunity for learning and lets students learn to prioritize and organize.”
A 50 minute study hall period has never been a required course, like at other Parkway High Schools.
“In many cases, for the individual, having time set aside to work on things at school can be beneficial,” Choir Director and last year’s study hall teacher, Brian Parish said. “Study hall, such as the ASC [Academic Support Class] is a good way to seek help in a specific subject area.”
ASC is not the only option students have to get extra time to work on assignments during school hours. An Independent Study Hall is also held in the cafeteria.
“Having time to just do homework and rest in the middle of a busy day is definitely something not worth complaining for,” freshman Vaishali Shah said.
A study hall does not count for credit towards graduation, but can provide a workspace free of distractions for those students who find it hard to stay focused on work at home or in the average classroom.
“For some students, it’s critical to their grades to have that extra time they can spend working on assignments,” freshman Hannah Hoffmann said. “Study hall is an opportunity for that, and can really help you in the long run.”
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