It’s no secret that block days are generally disliked. While they offer a longer lunch and a 45-minute late start, many students feel disinclined to attend 80-minute classes. Some students and community members have already called for an all-Scout Day week, while others don’t mind the current two-block day week.
“Block periods are too long and I can’t concentrate,” says senior Adra Clayton. “Sometimes my teachers don’t have enough work planned for the day so we sit around for a while.”
Personally, I was disappointed to find out that, in the seniors’ very last week of high school, our last two days were block days. While block scheduling is useful during normal weeks, its application during the seniors’ final week and the last regular week before finals comes with confusion.
We seniors have always pulled the short straw. First COVID and now Cicada graduation; I think our grade deserves the sentimental last day that a block day cannot offer.
The last day is marked with nostalgia, a celebration of accomplishments, and the signing of senior shirts. With only four classes on the final Thursday, seniors will not go through their schedule as normal and will miss the opportunity to reminisce with those they normally get to. Activities such as saying goodbye to teachers and classmates are best experienced in a structured and ordinary way that aligns with the traditional Scout Day.
Senior Stella Fox says she was disappointed to learn that her last day of high school was not a Scout day. “I am sad that I won’t get to see all of my teachers on the same day. I wish I was in all of my classes tomorrow.”
Additionally, the implementation of block scheduling may inadvertently influence the seniors’ attendance. I feel that I am much less likely to go to classes on a block day since there are only four, instead of eight. Also, with the option of senior privilege, seniors who have a study hall may go off-campus for 25% of the last day, which I feel distracts from the sense of community, friendship, and celebration.
The Class of 2024 deserves a farewell that is characterized by meaningful engagement with their peers. By having a Scout Day as the last day, we can ensure that the seniors have the opportunity to celebrate their achievements, say their goodbyes to their school community, and embark on the next chapter of their lives with a sense of closure that is attained by a last day representative of all of a senior’s classes.
