Opinion by Catherine Yeoman
Mount Vernon High School has created a designated time every Friday for students to improve on their academics called MTSS. During this time, students are able to go to their classes to receive extra help, retake assignments, and work on homework. Some students need to have the whole MTSS time to retake something for a class or get all their classwork done. Elective classes are scheduling lessons that take up half of the MTSS time. MTSS is already a limited amount of time to work on academics, elective classes shouldn’t take time away from core classes.

MTSS should just be dedicated for academic or core classes only. Many students are involved in out-of-class group such as Jazz band, Jazz choir, and Chamber Choir. During MTSS time, classes such as Choir and Band are holding lessons for many of these outside groups that can take up at least half of the MTSS time. Although it is a good opportunity to not have to find extra times to hold practices in the busy evening and mornings outside of school, it still takes students away from having enough time to work on their academics.

Another reason that MTSS time is getting taken away from students is having to make up missed P.E classes. During MTSS is the only time that students are able to make up classes that they have missed due to excused absences and unexcused absences. This can be a good time for students to make up classes or that want to get a extra workout in if they are caught up with their academic responsibilities, but most students see this as a hassle and would rather spend their MTSS time on classes they could get extra help in.

In addition, teachers schedule class speakers during MTSS time and expect whole grades of students to attend the sessions. This does make it easier on the speaker to just speak once instead of a couple times to multiple classes, but it takes more time away from the students that was given to them for classwork and to help their grades.

MTSS time should be dedicated exclusively for academics and core classes. This will help student feel less stressed and feel like they are given enough time to retake something for a class, and get extra help if needed for classes to better their grades.

MTSS Is For Aacademics