Starting in the 2025-26 school year, incoming freshmen and sophomores will not be allowed to take study halls. Ninth and tenth graders must choose 14 total credits during their registration for the following year. This change has produced a myriad of different reactions around Park.
Sophomore Imad Salam said he feels sorry for the incoming ninth and tenth graders not having time to use study halls.
“I feel bad for them,” Salam said. “(Ninth and tenth graders) also deserve free time in the day to catch up on work.”
Ninth grade counselor Barb Nelson said productivity in study halls and class participation were key reasons for the scheduling changes.
“District-level administrators (found) a lot of kids in study halls are on their phones or devices and not making use of the time academically,” Nelson said. “Making (the schedule) more rigorous overall by taking seven classes and having lots of options available for students (were administrative goals).”
Salam said taking study halls when he was an underclassman helped him stay on top of schoolwork so he wouldn’t have to do more at home.
“I took study halls both (ninth and tenth grade) and I found it very useful,” Salam said. ”If I was ever behind on (my schoolwork) I could finish it (during study hall) and not do it at home.”
Freshman Logan Hass said he won’t personally be affected by the change, but he feels sorry for his peers who need study halls.
“I think I will be fine not having a study hall,” Hass said. ”But for other students who can’t work at home, it will be harder (to get work done).”
Nelson said some students have voiced concerns about not having time to work outside of school and wanting a study hall. She said taking harder classes was a reason students were worried about having enough time to finish schoolwork.
“Current ninth graders going into tenth grade have said they want to take lots of AP or honors classes but are worried because they have other obligations (that take up their time) and want to take a study hall,” Nelson said. “(Those concerns) are on our list of things to discuss with administration to see if accommodations can be made.”
Hass said some freshmen are upset that upperclassmen have the privilege of study hall but his grade group does not.
“Some (ninth graders) are mad because (upperclassmen) get to have study halls but we don’t,” Hass said. “We get cut off.”
