If a student is asked if they want school all year long, most of their reactions would be to say no. Summer is a time for students and teachers to relax and have some free time before the next school year. On the contrary, some people think that school should be all year long and have more breaks throughout the year. Let’s see what the students at Tuscarora have to say!
Twenty-five students at Tuscarora High School took a poll on whether or not school should be all year long. Nineteen agreed to keep it how it is currently, and six students said we should change it to be all year with more breaks. Most of the students who want to keep it how it is responded with how they like their summer break and would rather keep one long break. The students who want a change said they forget everything over summer break so it’ll be easier to learn when it is year-long.
Sydney Nicklas, a junior at Tuscarora High School, wants school to be year-long with more frequent breaks throughout. “Having more breaks throughout the year will lower burnout,” Nicklas explains. She would rather “Have the breaks more spread out instead of being all at once.” The transition from being relaxed on a long break to then going to school for months without breaks is very difficult and overwhelming. Nicklas thinks that changing school to all year will positively affect how much she is learning. “In the summer, I’m not learning anything, so my brain is not engaged. If we had little breaks throughout the year, I would be learning all year round.” Said Nicklas. It also helps keep previous information you have already learned because you won’t have a long summer break where your brain turns to mush and you forget everything.
Another junior at Tuscarora High School, Ariel Hansen-Vik, prefers to keep summer break the way it is. “Summer is a staple piece for school. Summer break is what everyone looks forward to at the end of the school year.” Hansen-Vik said. She thinks having a long school year with more breaks wouldn’t “have the same effect as it has for the past decade and more”. Another factor for having a long break is bettering your mental health. Hansen-Vik says, “The way we have it now is easier mental health wise because everyone needs a break from people and school because it can get overwhelming.” Having shorter breaks all year long would not be enough time for people to have a mental health break. Most people agree and dislike the idea of year-round school. Hansen-Vik said, “I feel like it would get boring. We’re so used to having a month and a half long summer break and if we don’t, we can’t go on any long vacations.”
The students here at Tuscarora High School have different views about school breaks. Both ways have negative and positive effects on the students and the teachers. Overall, more people want to keep school the way it is so they can have their summer break and time to relax.
