By 3:00, students are not learning; they are watching the clock and counting down the seconds until they can go home and try to do some work, knowing that they already drained all of their energy at school. Eyelids grow heavy, shoulders slouch, notebooks close, and every minute feels longer than the entire school day that came before it. Time itself is slow, trapping students in their seats while their ability to focus vanishes. Teachers feel the strain as well, lecturing to silent rooms where it feels like no one is truly listening and attempting to push through the final minutes, feeling the same exhaustion as the students. The learning or teaching becomes impossible when everyone is physically present but mentally checked out from the long school day.
If KO reduced the school day to four classes and dismissed students earlier, KO would give students more time to complete their homework, recharge, and pursue extracurricular activities, while also reducing stress levels, improving overall learning, and creating a healthier balance between school and life.
Shorter, well-structured school days can provide significant academic and personal benefits for students. The California Learning Resource Network is a resource and research hub to help schools, students, and teachers by offering materials and guidance. The CLRN states that shorter school days would be more beneficial. According to the California Learning Resource Network, “As we transition towards a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and critical thinking, a critical re-evaluation of the established school schedule is paramount. Implementing shorter school days, structured strategically, can potentially yield significant benefits across multiple domains.”
These research findings directly apply to KO and display how a shorter school day at KO would be more beneficial. KO’s overall school day and academics will improve because of shorter school days. With shorter school days, students will learn better and feel less mentally exhausted. According to the California Learning Resource Network, “Prolonged exposure to information, especially in passive learning environments, can lead to cognitive fatigue, impacting working memory capacity and the ability to focus. Studies employing electroencephalography (EEG) have demonstrated a reduction in alpha and beta wave activity during prolonged cognitive tasks, indicating decreased alertness and cognitive processing efficiency. A shorter, more focused school day can mitigate this by optimizing instructional time for peak cognitive function.” In other words, shorter school days allow learning to be more focused and effective while reducing unnecessary mental strain.
For me, Wednesdays are my most effective learning days due to the early dismissal at 12:30. Even though I still attend five classes, having more time afterward allows me to complete homework, participate in extracurricular activities, and recharge, which helps me stay more focused and productive for the next day. Each class is 50 minutes long, which is enough time to get things done but not too much time where your brain turns to mush. Teachers tend to continue to teach like they would on a longer class day, but definitely try to keep the class as focused as possible because of the shorter time, which is helpful. While having five classes works, reducing it to four, not just on Wednesdays but every day of the week, can be much more beneficial and less overwhelming.
I’m not the only one who enjoys Wednesdays; my friends and peers are always happier and more energetic on Wednesdays when I see them in classes, in the halls, or at lunch. Research from the American Educational Research Association, which is the largest professional organization for education researchers and aims to advance knowledge and use research to improve education for the public, indicates “a positive correlation between shorter school days (approximately 6.5 hours) and increased student satisfaction and engagement. This suggests that reducing the duration of instruction can enhance the learning experience, fostering a more receptive and attentive student body.” If KO were to change the duration of the school day, students would learn more and get more out of the day.
Shorter school days would give students more time after school to pursue extracurricular activities after school. At KO, many students struggle to follow their passions, whether through sports, internships, or jobs, because of limited time. A reduced school day would not mean less learning; instead, it would allow students to gain real-world experience outside the classroom, develop important life skills, explore their interests, and build connections that could support future career opportunities. Extra time after school would allow KO students to grow in many ways.
For instance, take my friend Noah, who is an athlete and has a deep passion for animals, but always complains about the little time he has and that he can’t pursue both. With a shorter school day, Noah could spend his afternoons practicing tennis and shadowing a veterinarian. Also, my sister Ysabel Albert worked as a hostess at Max Burger and felt that balancing work and school was very hard with long school days. This extra time would allow him to dive deeper into his passions and explore potential career paths, all while keeping up with his schoolwork.
Internships, jobs, and other passions help with the students’ health too, and the extra time after school could provide time to reset and relax. Shorter days will increase the amount of time you have to decompress and become a healthier version of yourself. According to American Education, “Prolonged school hours often result in overwhelming workloads, tight deadlines, and intense pressure to perform. This constant strain can trigger anxiety and stress-related disorders in students, according to a study by the American Psychological Association. By reducing school hours, students will have more time to decompress, engage in stress-relieving activities, and maintain a healthier work-life balance. This, in turn, can lead to improved mental well-being and a more positive outlook on their academic journey.”
With extra time after school, KO students could participate in activities to make them more relaxed and stress-free, recharging their minds. For example, a student anxious about a test could use the extra time off from school to meditate or exercise, returning to their studying and homework more focused than ever. Shorter school days would support both academic success and overall well-being.
Shorter school days will be better for the students’ overall well-being and health, but especially their sleep schedules. Students are feeling overwhelmed by long school days, heavy workloads, and too much information. The amount of sleep recommended for teenagers is from eight to ten hours, which is nearly impossible with the amount of homework given and school days that last until 3:15 and sports ending as late as 5:30 with too-long school days. According to the National Sleep Foundation, which is an organization focused on improving public health through sleep education to promote better sleep habits, “Getting enough sleep from a regular sleep schedule can make it easier for you to cope with daily stress and be less likely to be impacted by minor negative things that can come up. Shortening school hours will assure a student’s mental health and ability to learn in class by allowing students to have more time out of school to do homework, sports, etc.” By reducing school hours, students can get adequate sleep, which strengthens their focus throughout the school day and overall well-being, while helping them handle stress and creating a healthier life.
Lastly, KO should reduce the amount of time at school for the teachers, too. It will give teachers more time to maintain a healthier work-life balance. Teaching requires a huge amount of time and energy, and reducing the length of the school day can reduce exhaustion. With a bit more time outside of class, teachers can plan lessons more thoughtfully, making the lessons as engaging as possible. American Education states that teaching is a demanding job that can lead to burnout. Shorter school days could help reduce teachers’ stress and workload, improving job satisfaction. When teachers feel less overwhelmed, they can bring more energy and enthusiasm to the classroom, benefiting both themselves and their students.
With more to recharge, teachers can bring greater patience, creativity, and energy into the classroom. Sometimes, I notice that some of my teachers seem exhausted and overwhelmed by grading, lesson planning, and other responsibilities, which can make their classes less engaging. If the school day were shorter, teachers would have more time to manage their workload and personal responsibilities, allowing them to be more effective in the classroom and more successful in their careers
I believe KO should adopt a shorter school day with four classes to promote a healthier and more balanced life for both students and teachers. While this schedule may reduce the total instructional time, students are likely to be more focused and engaged in each class, allowing them to learn more in less time. Even though it gives less actual time for teachers to teach content, with the shorter day, students will be more focused in each class, so they will get through much more in less time. In conclusion, shortening the KO school day would benefit everyone: students and teachers alike. Students would gain more time to focus, recharge, pursue passions, and improve their overall well-being, while teachers would have the opportunity to plan more effectively, reduce stress, and bring energy and creativity back into the classroom. By rethinking the traditional long school day, KO can create a more positive learning environment where both students and teachers can flourish.
