Niyati Rana ('25)
Starting with the new 2024-2025 school year, SBHS shifts from its annual one-week-plus winter break to two weeks. In December, students had an early release on Friday, December 20, and were on break until January 5. Students then returned on January 6. This decision was made after considering multiple factors.
Superintendent Scott Feder said, “If our 180th day fell on a Tuesday, this would have been an easy decision and we would have come back to school on January 2, therefore ending the week prior on a Friday. Since our last day is on a Friday, shortening the break by two days would have us still end on a Wednesday. Coming back on a Thursday is not ideal as we would have many absences, but there is a good argument that two weeks is too long and we should have ended school earlier by two days and come back on that Thursday. As I said, there is no right answer, we just try to keep the flow of learning in our sites and we felt that this year, this made the most sense.”
This decision, which has sparked excitement and anticipation throughout the SBHS community, is the mark of a significant change within the school system. With this change in the system, students, staff, and teachers have been given plenty of time to rest and recharge by spending time with family and friends.
AP Psychology teacher Mrs. Cristina Janis said, “Breaks are very useful during the school year to help students relax and recharge. You need your self-care, you need downtime, you need to be able to catch up on any sleep cause sleep is so important. It's also nice for families to be able to take an extended vacation if they need to and this gives them the opportunity to do so.”
The extended winter break also covered multiple holidays in the season, including Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s, and others. Though many SBHS students were happy about having more days off, more days off results in the school year ending later than last year. As of now, SBHS has announced that the current expected graduation date to be June 27, 2025.
Senior Anika Taiwade said, “I absolutely think it’s worth being pushed back because winter break comes around a busier season where students are already stressing out, so a longer break is purely beneficial.”
The longer break also brings light to SBHS’s care for mental health. With the high demands that academic, honors, and AP courses place on students, many believe that one week of rest is not enough.
Senior Aleena Bakerywala said, “I think a longer break will help me come back less stressed because it will give me more time to relax at home and catch up on sleep.”
With SBHS’s longer break, students will hopefully have reduced their stress levels and came back to the new year feeling refreshed, with a brand new start.
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