Third lunch: some love it, some hate it. But one thing is almost always certain: if you have third lunch, you will have four classes back-to-back. That’s four and a half hours straight of work. So what could be done about this, and how could more breaks during the school day benefit SHS students?

The first solution that comes to mind is for breaks to be added in between classes. Currently, WINN block can function as a break from learning for some; many students utilize the time to meet with teachers, make-up missing assignments, complete homework, or meet with other students to complete group assignments. So while WINN block is a break for some, it does not serve that function for everyone. According to a group of polled SHS students, 92% thought that breaks between classes would be beneficial. Sixty percent of polled students said they would like a break between 2nd and 3rd block, which could provide a nice mid-morning reset. This could also help students focus better in their upcoming classes, especially if their break included physical activity.

SHS Wellness teacher Jamie Dwyer feels that more movement-oriented breaks would help students. “If you look at any research on the brain, movement wakes up the brain,” said Dwyer. “And when you wake up the brain, kids’ retention is better, they retain things better, and their focus is better. So even though [a teacher is] taking 10 minutes away from a class to wake kids up, [in] that next 50 or 40 minutes [of class time], they’re getting far more accomplished with those kids because their brain’s not tired.”

Dywer also commented that, while they can be useful, it is unclear if students are utilizing breaks well. Ten minutes where all students do is sit on their phones won’t benefit them nearly as much as ten minutes of social interaction, movement, or meditation would. Freshman Christopher Sanders-Roberts feels that “Having more breaks will make me personally feel much less stressed and will allow me to socialize with my friends more.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, students and staff were given ten minutes in between each class to get to their next class and clean their work area. Though ten minutes may no longer be viable, even a few extra minutes in between each class could provide an immense benefit by giving everyone (students and staff) ample time to use the bathroom, get water, walk around, stretch, and socialize with their peers, therefore removing distractions during class time and boosting productivity.

Overall, SHS students would benefit from more breaks embedded throughout their school day.