The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

POINT-COUNTERPOINT: Getting In and Out of School Early Is In Our Best Interests

Ten weeks of summer is a much-needed break from months of school. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that sooner or later, students need to pack their backpacks and return to school. It is better to begin school as it does already, and use the earlier days to transition back to school, than to start late and have the school-year run into the early days of summer.

While it may not seem so enjoyable at first, starting the school year earlier gives students time to readjust to early wake-ups, bell schedules, new teachers and school-work. Freshmen, more than any other students, not only have to get out of “summer mode” and adjust to the structured routine of school, but also have to adjust to the new high school atmosphere and demanding schedule that comes with it. In fact, even upperclassmen, even teachers, find switching from a laid-back summer vacation to a structured school-day to be difficult. For example, social studies teacher Beth Muehl said that one of the most difficult parts of readjusting for her, and many teachers, is “having every minute of your day planned out.” Starting school in August allows teachers and students the time they need to adjust to this structure. Even sports teams benefit from starting the school year before Labor Day; an earlier start to the school-year gives the teams more practice time in daylight.

Even when we’re jealous of the extra week of summer students get in school systems like Fairfax County Public Schools, we tend to forget that our earlier start to the school-year is offset by our earlier end to the year in June. The reason that exam week is in the first half of June, not the second, is because of the early start to school.

With the end of exams comes the start of summer, and also the start of camps and community service projects which students can participate in to earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours. For students to have more opportunities to earn the 75 SSL hours that are required for graduation, an early summer break would be effective. For example, junior Daniel Thaler volunteered at a camp in mid-June of 2009. With an later end to school, Thaler says he would have been “unable to earn” the SSL hours in the time that he did.

Story continues below advertisement

In addition, a number of students have summer jobs. In order to start working, students need to finish their exams and any other work required of them. Students with summer jobs want to start working as soon as possible; the earlier they start, the more hours they work and the more money they make. An earlier end to the school-year allows teachers and students alike to have the chance to begin working summer jobs on the early side.

If there isn’t any educational benefit to putting off school, then there is no incentive to delay the start of school. Sure, many people would enjoy another week at the beach, or simply relaxing at home, but that would only lead to there being one less week of enjoying summer in June. After a longtime without an active schedule, it’s usually difficult to return to the demanding world that school can be. It is still a necessary part of our lives that we can’t do without, so it would be just be best for all of us to start school – and end it – as early as possible.

0
0
Leave a Comment
Donate to The Pitch
$775
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of Walter Johnson High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Pitch
$775
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

All The Pitch Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *