Absence of study hall at Central High upsets some

For the past year, Sarah Schermann has watched her two sons leave for Central High School at 7 a.m. and often return home after 10 p.m. with several hours worth of homework to do.

She's seen them juggle academics, part-time jobs, three sports and other extracurricular activities without the benefit of a study hall, and she says there are many more students who could use a free hour during the school day for homework.

"I think kids are being cheated, and it isn't fair," said Schermann, a former teacher in the district.

In a 200-signature petition presented to the Cape Girardeau School Board at Monday's meeting, parents and other district patrons requested school officials make study hall accessible to all students for the 2003-04 school year. As it stands, Central High offers an "honors hour" similar to study hall but available only to students who meet strict academic qualifications.

School administrators dismissed the petition, saying only one parent -- Schermann -- has spoken to them about study hall. It was eliminated from the schedule this year after administrators learned only 30 percent of students used the time to study.

Even so, the school board asked Central administrators to organize a committee of parents and students to meet as early as next week and then report back at the June 16 board meeting.

Board member Mark Carver said the parents were right to come forward with their concern.

"These people are paying for this school, and they ought to have a choice in whether their child has the option of taking study hall," Carver said.

But board president Sharon Mueller said she wasn't sure the board should intervene. "It's our job to oversee policy, but we don't want to micromanage."

Both agree the change can't happen next year because the master schedule is nearly complete.

No space and no staff

The move last year to a new building where the classroom originally designed for study hall is too small and a lack of staff were factors in the decision to drop the course, said school principal Dr. Mike Cowan.

The room can accommodate only 60 people. Between 40 and 70 students were enrolled in study hall sessions last year in the former high school, but with the addition of ninth-graders this year, Cowan said there could have been as many as 90 students in a single session.

The only option would have been to have multiple locations, which would require more staff members and empty classrooms, neither of which the school has to spare, Cowan said.

To participate in Central's new honors hour, students must be a junior or senior, take at least one advanced placement course and two high school honors courses, have a grade point average of 8.0 or higher on an 11-point scale, have a 95 percent attendance rate, be involved in one or more extracurricular activity and be endorsed by a former teacher, a guidance counselor and a school administrator.

The students spend their 50 minutes either in the library or working with teachers or guidance counselors.

About 40 of Central's 1,300 students qualify and signed up for honors hour, but Cowan said the criteria isn't any more discriminating than standards for the school's gifted program, National Honor Society, athletics and college scholarships.

"Not everyone makes the grade, and we make those distinctions in life on a daily basis," Cowan said.

Dan Todt, a parent who also spoke at the recent board meeting, said although his two children have already graduated from Central, he remembers how much study hall helped them.

"It profiles students if you only allow a certain few to have study hall," Todt said. "Why take it away from all, just for a few who abuse it?"

High school family and consumer sciences teacher Karen Altenthal monitored the 50-minute study hall sessions for four years at the former high school and kept logs of students' study habits. Although she required her students to do homework, work on computers or read, she still found those sessions to be unproductive for most.

"My study halls weren't a social hour," Altenthal said. "But even so, teachers can't physically make students read a book or do homework."

An informal study of this year's honors hour found 80 percent of students were using the time for school work.

"When I didn't have a study hall, it would take forever to do my homework. I'd really have to scramble," said senior Felicia Jenkins, who participates in the honors hour.

Jenkins works part-time at St. Francis Medical Center, is class president and is involved in student senate, National Honor Society and Beta Club. She's also taking three advanced placement courses this semester.

Non-honors hour students readily acknowledge the familiar stigma of study hall as a social hour.

"If I had a study hall, I'd probably just goof off. I like getting good grades, but I'd rather just sit and talk," said senior Colin McLain, who qualifies for honors hour but doesn't take it. "Parents don't see their kids not caring enough to study."

Even with a part-time job and numerous extracurricular activities to balance, junior Blake Barks agreed.

"It's not productive for most students," Barks said. "It's hard to get anything done without being constantly supervised."

Even though the overall student body doesn't have study hall, school officials say there is still time during the day they could use to study. There's a half hour of free time every day built into fifth period.

Seniors who have accumulated enough credits have the option of attending part-time, giving them the afternoon to study, take college courses or work.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128

By Callie Clark ~ Southeast Missourian

For the past year, Sarah Schermann has watched her two sons leave for Central High School at 7 a.m. and often return home after 10 p.m. with several hours worth of homework to do.

She's seen them juggle academics, part-time jobs, three sports and other extracurricular activities without the benefit of a study hall, and she says there are many more students who could use a free hour during the school day for homework.

"I think kids are being cheated, and it isn't fair," said Schermann, a former teacher in the district.

In a 200-signature petition presented to the Cape Girardeau School Board at Monday's meeting, parents and other district patrons requested school officials make study hall accessible to all students for the 2003-04 school year. As it stands, Central High offers an "honors hour" similar to study hall but available only to students who meet strict academic qualifications.

School administrators dismissed the petition, saying only one parent -- Schermann -- has spoken to them about study hall. It was eliminated from the schedule this year after administrators learned only 30 percent of students used the time to study.

Even so, the school board asked Central administrators to organize a committee of parents and students to meet as early as next week and then report back at the June 16 board meeting.

Board member Mark Carver said the parents were right to come forward with their concern.

"These people are paying for this school, and they ought to have a choice in whether their child has the option of taking study hall," Carver said.

But board president Sharon Mueller said she wasn't sure the board should intervene. "It's our job to oversee policy, but we don't want to micromanage."

Both agree the change can't happen next year because the master schedule is nearly complete.

No space and no staff

The move last year to a new building where the classroom originally designed for study hall is too small and a lack of staff were factors in the decision to drop the course, said school principal Dr. Mike Cowan.

The room can accommodate only 60 people. Between 40 and 70 students were enrolled in study hall sessions last year in the former high school, but with the addition of ninth-graders this year, Cowan said there could have been as many as 90 students in a single session.

The only option would have been to have multiple locations, which would require more staff members and empty classrooms, neither of which the school has to spare, Cowan said.

To participate in Central's new honors hour, students must be a junior or senior, take at least one advanced placement course and two high school honors courses, have a grade point average of 8.0 or higher on an 11-point scale, have a 95 percent attendance rate, be involved in one or more extracurricular activity and be endorsed by a former teacher, a guidance counselor and a school administrator.

The students spend their 50 minutes either in the library or working with teachers or guidance counselors.

About 40 of Central's 1,300 students qualify and signed up for honors hour, but Cowan said the criteria isn't any more discriminating than standards for the school's gifted program, National Honor Society, athletics and college scholarships.

"Not everyone makes the grade, and we make those distinctions in life on a daily basis," Cowan said.

Dan Todt, a parent who also spoke at the recent board meeting, said although his two children have already graduated from Central, he remembers how much study hall helped them.

"It profiles students if you only allow a certain few to have study hall," Todt said. "Why take it away from all, just for a few who abuse it?"

High school family and consumer sciences teacher Karen Altenthal monitored the 50-minute study hall sessions for four years at the former high school and kept logs of students' study habits. Although she required her students to do homework, work on computers or read, she still found those sessions to be unproductive for most.

"My study halls weren't a social hour," Altenthal said. "But even so, teachers can't physically make students read a book or do homework."

An informal study of this year's honors hour found 80 percent of students were using the time for school work.

"When I didn't have a study hall, it would take forever to do my homework. I'd really have to scramble," said senior Felicia Jenkins, who participates in the honors hour.

Jenkins works part-time at St. Francis Medical Center, is class president and is involved in student senate, National Honor Society and Beta Club. She's also taking three advanced placement courses this semester.

Non-honors hour students readily acknowledge the familiar stigma of study hall as a social hour.

"If I had a study hall, I'd probably just goof off. I like getting good grades, but I'd rather just sit and talk," said senior Colin McLain, who qualifies for honors hour but doesn't take it. "Parents don't see their kids not caring enough to study."

Even with a part-time job and numerous extracurricular activities to balance, junior Blake Barks agreed.

"It's not productive for most students," Barks said. "It's hard to get anything done without being constantly supervised."

Even though the overall student body doesn't have study hall, school officials say there is still time during the day they could use to study. There's a half hour of free time every day built into fifth period.

Seniors who have accumulated enough credits have the option of attending part-time, giving them the afternoon to study, take college courses or work.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128