By the time sophomore, junior, or senior year rolls around for students at Walpole High School, many of them already have enough credits or know that they will have enough credits to graduate. At Walpole High, 115 credits are needed to graduate. Students have to take a total of seven classes a semester; therefore, it is easy for many students to receive more than enough credits during their high school career. But then comes the common question: why take more classes than you have to?
The truth is, there is a good selection of classes to take at Walpole High School. There are several options in English, math, science, history, foreign language, fine arts, music, technology, business, and physical education/wellness. Sometimes though, students just really need a break from class, such as a study hall or maybe even a free block.
Study halls are hard to come by at Walpole High School. The only time when a student can automatically obtain one is if they take a gym class for a semester, which leaves their second semester free for a study . The majority of students who take gym are freshmen. For sophomores, juniors, and seniors, a study for students who do not take gym does not really make sense. Usually, the upperclassmen tend to take mostly academics with increasing difficulty as the years progress; therefore, giving the upperclassmen a study or some kind of free block makes more sense.
Everyone at WHS should have the option of taking at least one study hall in their high school career. There are some people at Walpole High who have never had a study, and then there are others who have had several over their years at Walpole High. It’s ridiculous how hard it is to get a study into your schedule. If you ask, guidance may or may not allow it.
A free block would function as a “class” but students would have the option to go to the library and do homework or leave school for the 70 minute period and do whatever they want to. Students who have a free block would obviously have to return to school on time. When asked about how the idea of a free block should be included at Walpole High, junior Annie Yonker instantly said, “I think free period should be lunch period so we could leave if we want.” Many high school students like the idea of a free block and seem to be absolutely for it.
Free block would be a nice chance to catch up on homework, take a break for lunch, or even get extra help from a teacher. Students would have more free time during their school day to get work done and be productive, especially if they have to make up work for classes they may have missed. Free block would be for sophomores, juniors, and seniors; except sophomores wouldn’t be able to leave school property. However, juniors and seniors could because most of them have their licenses and are able to drive. Annie Yonker also said, “It should only be for juniors and seniors because we’re upperclassmen and we can drive if we want to.”
The idea of a free block is appealing to the upperclassmen. It would give them a chance to be more independent and mature. In a way, it would kind of prepare students for college, since they always have free time between classes. Many schools across America have free periods for students in high school. Some allow freshmen and sophomores to have a study hall, but not leave the building, and allow juniors and seniors to have free periods that are completely free. Being able to drive would be very convenient for upperclassmen if they had a free period. They could go anywhere they wanted for the duration of the 70 minute class and they could relax and have fun…during school! How great would that be?!
