For the past nine years, school has always started after Labor Day, due to a law passed in 2005. As a result of the excessive amount of snow days the district had this year, we may now start before Labor Day.

The primary concern has become whether or not students sitting for IB exams in the fall will get enough classroom time. There were nine snow days this year, nine days the juniors and seniors didn’t have to prepare. “I would have liked to have more days before the tests this year,” said Noah Heintz (11), “but next year if I’m graduating at the same time, I don’t think I would like to be here longer.” Students who didn’t take the exams this year still feel the same negative way about reduced time. Said Lydia Huitt (10) “It’s ridiculous. You can’t make us go to school all year, and then take away our break.”

Other students are more hopeful about the rumors of change. “It’s still just 180 days of school, we wouldn’t lose our break,” said Adam Alexander (11). He feels that if the district starts the school year earlier, the school year will end earlier too, making no noticeable difference.

However, some IB teachers are in favor of a change in the school year, so that they can better prepare their students for their tests. “It would be great to have longer school year,” says Mrs. Nott, an IB English teacher, 0“I would even be in favor of a summer instructional time.” Having a longer school year makes much more sense for diploma candidates. Many seniors are preparing for college, and getting a high score on an IB test allows them to have a foot in the door for college, reducing the amount of money they would have to spend on classes. However, Nott feels that it should happen “only if teachers get paid for their extra time.”

A longer school year could greatly help some, and for others be a complete drag. As of now, nothing is official, so we will have to wait and see.