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It’s mid-October, and every student knows what that means: fall break!
Oh wait, that’s right; students don’t have fall break this year.
According to AL.com, in 2012, the Alabama state legislature approved a bill that required all school systems begin the school year no later than two weeks before Labor Day and end the school year by the Friday before Memorial Day.
This caused Madison City Schools to cut its once weeklong fall break to a mere three days in 2012.
This year, though, fall break is waving goodbye to Madison City, Huntsville City, and Madison County students, leaving them without a break between Labor Day (September 2nd) and Veteran’s Day (November 11th).
During the month of October, high school juniors are preparing for the PSAT, students of all classes may be preparing for midterms, and many seniors and juniors are preparing for this month’s ACT test.
This month is also crucial for college applicants, for many application and scholarship deadlines are in October.
And many students are just now beginning to feel the effects of this lack of a break as the pressures, deadlines, and workloads stack up.
June Howard, a senior at Bob Jones High School, discusses the stress she is experiencing this year without fall break.
“I miss fall break because it was a time where I could get everything back together and catch up on rest, ” Howard states.
She explains that fall break also allows students to refocus and take some unnecessary stress away. Without the break, this year has been especially hectic for her.
On top of the eight hours she spends at school and the four hours of homework that accompany it, she also participates in the school’s marching band. As a member, she is committed to daily practices after school and competitions on the weekends.
“When I’m not at band, I’m writing essays for college, going to ACT prep, at church or church band practice, taking an ACT, or going to some sort of meeting,” Howard states.
“With everything going on at the same time, it’s hard to catch up and take a breath.”
Gabriel Eason, a junior at New Century Technology High School in Huntsville, also explains how this year’s change is affecting his student life.
Eason mentions how students at his school tend to compete for academic excellence amongst each other, therefore the pressure to make good grades is always on their minds.
“For someone like me, who takes four AP classes, fall break is a chance to take a break from that world, relax the mind, and have some fun before I have to go back to the stress of school,” Eason states.
Deadlines seem harder to meet, assignments start to pile up, and the ever-present need to sleep seems to be less of a possibility, in Eason’s opinion.
“Fall break being gone [has been] taking a toll on me mentally. It takes away some down-time that I feel like I, and every student, need [in order] to be at their best in school.”
Students aren’t the only people affected by the loss of fall break though. Even teachers miss the extra time off.
“Fall break means the same to us as it does to students,” Lesa Clough, Bob Jones Spanish teacher, states.
Clough mentions—like numerous students—that fall break used to give her time to recharge. She believes that people are beginning to feel burnt-out due to the long stretch of instructional days without a resting period.
And now it seems like students are beginning to create their own fall breaks. Rumors of students skipping school during the month of October have been leaking throughout campus.
Because of this, administration wishes to remind the students that attendance is still very important.
To refresh students’ memories, the Bob Jones student handbook states that if a student is absent, he or she must turn in a note to the attendance office within three school days or else the absence will be unexcused.
Also, students are granted five parent notes per semester.
The handbook deliberately explains that there are no days when attendance is optional. There are no free “skip” days allowed, and such “skip” days will be recorded as unexcused absences.
Though this long stretch is difficult, November 11th will be here before you know it, students, and you’ll get your break. All that administration asks of you is that you remain studious and carry on until then.
In regards to next year’s calendar, there are hopes for Madison City students. Madison City Schools will have control over its calendar next year, possibly restoring fall break to the school system.
As for now, it is important to take attendance seriously and work hard before the next break. Every student is more than capable of pulling through and remaining focused.
Maybe by next October, the well-loved fall break will return, brightening the hearts of students and teachers once again. Be on the lookout to see if your school’s 2014-2015 calendar reinstates fall break.
