St John’s County School District has voted on a decision to make 10 early release Wednesdays into a normal scheduled day in order to make up for missed time due to Hurricane Helene and Milton. The official St John’s county website says that, “The following Wednesdays will be a full schedule student contact days, November 13th, 20th, December 4th, 11th, and 18th.  The second semester make-up full schedule student contact days will be January 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th and February 5th, 2025.” 

I can speak for many students in saying that we do not like the outcome of this vote, and especially the fact that it is 3 months of Wednesdays taken away. Out of everybody I know who has heard the news about this outcome, not a single one of them had a positive reaction. I understand that these days need to be made up but we, the students of St John’s county would like them made up in a different way, and for us to have our early release Wednesdays back. Here are a few reasons why we feel the way these days are made up should be changed:

Early release Wednesdays provide a much-needed rest in the middle of the week, especially for high school student who get out later than others and have higher workloads. These students have limited time to relax and recharge. This midweek break is something students look forward to during a long week and it helps them manage their stress and maintain their well-being. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, mental health significantly impacts learning and school success, making these breaks essential for better learning outcomes. Additionally, many students have jobs or extracurricular activities planned around these early release days. Without this time, they might struggle to balance their responsibilities and commitments. Furthermore, early release Wednesdays offer an extra hour break for both everybody, contributing to the mental well-being of everybody and enhancing productivity, and allow students to complete homework and schoolwork. This extra time isn’t only something students love and need but it is also beneficial for teachers. This extra hour without students can allow them to have more time to grade assignments and tests, and plan fun and engaging lessons for students to enjoy. Bringing back early release Wednesdays would support students' mental health, allow them to better manage their busy schedules.