Every grade has different policies when it comes to homework and class assignments. Usually the younger the student, the more laid back the school is with accepting late or low quality work. As students grow and get closer to graduating and entering the real world, however, those expectations begin to change and become more difficult.
At Pleasant Valley High School, missing work and failing grades are considered unacceptable. If students have any missing assignments or are on the verge of failing, they can be assigned to academic study hall (ASH). This relatively new program is a supervised, strict study hall to be used for completing missing assignments and/or getting help from a teacher. In other words, it works like another chance, likely after the classroom teacher has given several of his/her own.
But, in the real world, there is no “academic study hall.”
When kids go to college and don’t turn in their assignments or aren’t passing a class, the college doesn’t assign a safety net. They simply withhold the credit. As an adult, if workers fail to complete tasks they are expected to do, their bosses likely won’t assign someone to help get the work finished. The consequences people must face in the real world cannot be equated to an academic study hall, yet school systems today still claim they are better preparing their students for adulthood with programs like Pleasant Valley’s ASH.
Some students struggle to understand the idea of ASH. While they understand it is a way for students to be provided time to get their assignments done and an opportunity to get assistance with difficult concepts, they struggle with how it could be helpful in the long run. Senior Khalled Ismail said, “I think the use of an academic study hall is misleading because it gives students a false sense of hope that they’re going to have that support carrying them onward into college and the real world, but unfortunately, the real world isn’t forgiving in situations like this.”
There are also some teachers at PV that struggle with the concept of academic study hall. Social studies teacher, Joe Youngbauer, understands there is always work to be done, but thinks academic study hall is not always the right consequence for student actions. Youngbauer said, “I think there is a balance between yes, deadlines are important and timeliness is important to be able to get your work done, but also understanding where there are some circumstances and opportunities to refine and change something. And that is also a real world skill.”
ASH was created with good intentions and does prove to be beneficial for many students’ grades. The program was piloted in 2017 as a way to help more students find success in their coursework. It is currently run by Francis Dunbar, a certified teacher who is able to help students in several different subject areas.
In a story published on the Shield last year, Associate Principal Darren Erickson said, “The school has seen significant academic improvement in those assigned to ASH. It is a very valuable intervention and helps keep small problems small.”
