“The freedom: that’s my favorite part about Shorecrest,” said sophomore Will Farley. Yet it seems our freedom, the most valued aspect of being a student at this school, is being chipped away.

     This school year, Shorecrest implemented a brand-new policy in the Upper School, requiring every freshman, sophomore, and junior or senior struggling academically to report to a study hall during their free period. Teachers are also required to give up one of their free periods for eight weeks to proctor a study hall. 

     Historically, Shorecrest students with a free period had the freedom to spend their time anywhere on campus. This was one of the highlights of Shorecrest for me and many others. 

     “You can’t go to where you’re comfortable, like the couches, and just do your homework anymore. You have to be in a classroom and be silent,” said sophomore Austin Stone. 

     Many students question why this policy was put in place. Assistant Head of the Upper School and Upper School Academic Dean Anne Michelle Frey said, “once a month, academic reports come out for students that have below a 70 in class, and then I get a list of every single report, so seeing those numbers grow, I think, was the biggest [reason], and hearing from parents that wanted maybe a little more oversight of students during the day [as well].” However, I suspect that discipline issues regarding the class of 2027 last year might be to blame for this policy change. 

     To me, this policy punishes even the most responsible and academically inclined students. Sophomore Izzy Riva said, “There are definitely some kids in our grade that don’t use their time wisely and mess around and do inappropriate things, but that’s a very small representation of our grade. I think that a lot of kids in our grade have so much integrity.”

     Students should only have to attend a study hall when they violate certain rules or their grades drop below a certain number. Like other new policies this year, including the dress code, Shorecrest seems to be punishing everyone for the actions of a small group of people, while also jeopardizing teachers’ productivity and well-being as a result. Free periods are also extremely valuable to teachers, as they often use that time to grade assignments, plan classes, or have a mental break.

     However, many teachers find their study hall to be better than they expected. Upper School Science teacher Bernadette Kozlowski said, “My first reaction was, ‘Oh, that’s my free period. I have so much to get done,’ but I’m finding that the first few weeks, I’m getting a lot done during study hall, and I’m not having to babysit them.”

     It’s definitely unexpected that teachers can be productive while proctoring study halls, but even if teachers get their work done in a silent room, students may not be getting their work done when it comes to group work. At the time of writing this, Shorecrest does not have a plan for group work, which makes me wonder whether the policy could have been thought through more and studied before being implemented. 

     There are some aspects of study hall I can fully respect, but it’s still unfair. Free periods should be a chance for students to rest in this chaotic environment: a time when we can do our homework or just chat with our friends. I think it’s unfair to force students to be contained in one classroom for every free period.

     In typical Shorecrest style, our teachers continue to teach with everything they’ve got. Kozlowski said, “The student’s well-being comes first when you’re a teacher, so anything that helps support them, you make adjustments [for].”