Nowadays students are getting more and more homework and have more activities to do after school. If students have an extra 90 minutes in the middle of the week, they could get a lot done. 

The 8th block happens on Wednesday afternoons every other week. Freshmen and sophomores are forced to learn about stress, Google extensions, social media safety, and club information. Students also have done yoga and played dodgeball

during this time. These activities are meant to fill students’ time while their teachers are in PLC meetings.

The problem with 8th block is students already have a negative opinion formed around the activities and often have learned about the topic at hand, so they aren’t willing to participate or get involved. During 8th block, I often feel distracted because I am thinking about all the work that I could be getting done if there was a study hall instead of activities, which makes me unable to participate.

 An example of relearning information from previous years are the

on Google extensions and internet safety. Students have been learning about these topics since middle school. If it is truly important for the school to spread this information to the student body, juniors and seniors should also have to be present.

Some of the sophomores have started a petition to change 8th block to a study hall. Some juniors have also signed this petition because they see that 8th block isn’t what students at Mount Vernon need. As of Oct. 18, the petition had 46 signatures. 

The timing of the period is perfect for students to have a study hall. This is because we often have more homework assigned after a block day compared to a Friday, so there would be more for students to do. 

If students had an extra 90 minutes at the end of the day, they would be able to make up full tests and labs, which they are

unable to do during a WIN session. 

The removal of 8th block wouldn’t only help students, but also the staff. The staff wouldn’t have to organize activities for every other week, which would save a lot of time and energy. 

Some may think that students won’t use the time effectively if it is given to them as a study hall. I think we would use this time effectively because we always have homework or something to work on. We also would have a new respect for this time because we know what it is like to have it taken away. 

A solution to this problem would be to have students form study groups for different classes or with their friends. This would keep us focused and on task throughout the 8th block. Also, students would have a positive attitude going into the activity because they know they can get their work done and learn what they need for their classes. 

The impact of removing 8th block and making study groups would be a change student’s attitudes and usage of the time. With students having more and more homework they would be able to use this time effectively and not be distracted.