By Carol Bello Features Editor & Alexa Marquis Staff Writer
A significant request among most River Hill students during the 2014 Leadership Conference was adding a third Hawk Time to the weekly schedule. There were many great ideas brought up, but this was by far the most prominent. Students collaborated with teachers and collectively agreed that another Hawk Time would benefit not only students but teachers as well. This addition gives teachers and students an extra twenty five minutes to complete and or make-up assignments, socialize, or meet with teachers for extra help.
Although an extra Hawk Time would be ideal for both teachers and students, it interferes with the already calculated amount of time students need to be taught to meet state requirements. Taking out another 25 minutes would mean the school would have to reevaluate the entire schedule in order to make time for the required curriculum. This would ultimately result in staying in school longer, or shortening the amount of time we have available for Hawk Time.
It was also discussed that if another Hawk Time was added, each would have a specific purpose. For example, Monday’s Hawk Time would be used as a study hall in which students stay in third period for the twenty five minutes, Wednesday’s would be used as a regular Hawk Time session, with the exception of monthly extended third period, and Friday’s would also be used as a regular Hawk Time Session with clubs meeting as needed.
Despite the potential issues that could arise from this addition, such as a reevaluation of schedule, a third Hawk Time will ultimately be beneficial to the entirety of the student body. Students can utilize this time for personal priorities, such as college applications, while using the other Hawk Time days for club meetings or study sessions. With the help of staff members and effort of the students, we can make this addition possible.