With block scheduling coming to WHS next year, supervised study hall has been the part of the schedule that has students the most concerned and confused.
The new supervised study hall will be taking the place of the free periods students have now; students can use these periods for a number of things, whether it’s meeting with a teacher or hanging with friends in the cafeteria.
The study hall will be supervised by teachers as one of their duties throughout the day. Teachers will be responsible for the students who scan in, similar to the library, or arriving at school. “We would probably go with a 30- to-1 ratio,” said Acting Principal William Loughran. “If it’s more than 30 we would get a second person in.”
When people hear “study hall,” they think it is just a quiet place to study where they cannot talk to friends or do something other than school work; this, however, is not true.
For students who want to work quietly, the library will still be an option as a location for them to report to. “If someone needs a quiet study hall and it’s not quiet enough [in Caf B], they are welcome to sign out and go up to the library for a more quiet environment,” said Loughran.
“You can use your phone, and you can play on your computers just like you would in a lunch period,” said Loughran. “You can also get food because Chartwells [WHS food vendor] is going to be open all day long.”
There have been questions about the connection to open lunch privileges and students should know that Juniors and Seniors can only leave the building during the common lunch period.
“Open lunch privilege is just that lunch period,” said Loughran. “If you go out for lunch and have a study hall next period, you’re expected to be back.”
This means that students cannot be out for two blocks in a row even if they have both blocks off; there will not be any two-hour mid day breaks out of the building. However, if you have the first or last block off you are free to come in late or leave early.
For any remaining questions, Loughran will be releasing a document answering the most common questions following the Hi’s Eye print date.