I am now one quarter into my senior year here at Westborough High. There have been ups and downs, but I know one thing is for sure: if Westborough High School had implemented a study hall during my time here, I would have been happier, healthier, and a better student.

It’s not a revolutionary concept. Many other schools in Massachusetts have implemented a study hall, including Algonquin, Shepherd Hill, Marlborough, Franklin, and Natick.

“It’s overwhelming coming from Gibbons, where we had ‘Support,’ similar to a study hall, almost every day,” comments Jonny Feldman, a WHS freshman. “The classes are harder already, so that’s tough to manage without having that extra time to catch up.”

Studies show the effectiveness of study halls. A study by Education World followed a school in California that implemented a study hall. They saw a rise in average GPA by half a point, an increase in honor roll students from 32% to 50%, and a significant improvement in teachers’ morale. There were numerous steps taken to promote this growth: “First, the principal ensured students had a designated room for study halls. This helped decrease cases of wandering students who were disrupting other classes and seniors looking to leave campus during their free period (often resulting in tardiness to their next class). Next, students were simply asked to participate in more meaningful work.  Some were asked about ways they could improve their study hall, or even their school, some were asked to publish articles on the school’s website, and many others worked with other students on difficult assignments, alongside a tutor.”

A similar study by the Institution of Education Sciences found that a guided study hall helped reduce the rate of homework incompletion. Overall, the rate before the study was 8% of homework was not being completed. By the completion of the study hall, only 4% of homework was incomplete.

In both of these studies, guidance from a teacher is key. However, Principal Brian Callaghan speaks to the difficulties in finding teachers to guide a study hall: “A big question in the process: who supervises? It becomes a legal and contractual issue because teachers are guaranteed to teach five classes. For part-time teachers, it’s even less.”

Superintendent Amber Bock agrees: “Adding a study hall option to the day might prove challenging in that our students already voice concerns that the current schedule doesn’t allow them enough blocks to take the range of coursework they want to fit into their day.”

But the administration is open to the possibility. Bock comments: “It is always an important and ongoing discussion to create a building schedule that meets the needs of our students.  We welcome feedback and suggestions about how to improve the school day…recognizing that all students have individual needs to create a balanced schedule, the option of a directed study is open to consideration.”

Callaghan agrees. He comments that the administration is already looking into the possibility and that it could be an important step in improving students’ well-being: “A few adults, myself included, have explored the idea of study halls for the past couple of years. It could be beneficial for students…I love the world in which we work and live in…but it’s too fast. We don’t have enough time to process what we’re taking in because we are hurrying to the next thing.”