Modified schedules are something that have been newly accessible to students at my school, Telstar Regional High School, and I think that they should be more widespread for students everywhere.
Modified schedules go through our guidance counselors and are an opportunity for kids to not attend school for the full day. Students can go home or to work during periods of the day that they don’t need credits, rather than filling their schedules with meaningless classes.
Being an upcoming student of a modified schedule. I will not have to come to school until 9:05 a.m. Obviously, modified schedules have to be earned (rightfully so), usually only seniors who have acquired enough credits have modified schedules. Having taken multiple online courses, I have accumulated so many credits that I realistically only need two more electives to complete my high school career, and a modified schedule praises me for that.
Being a student who does sports year round, works several days a week, and takes challenging classes, a modified schedule helps me sleep more, gives me more time out of school to do homework, and relieves stress a lot by not piling on unneeded classes.
Students in school have a very high stress rate, and giving them less on their plate can reduce that. According to the American Psychological Association, teens have reported that their stress levels exceed far beyond what they believe should be healthy. Modified schedules have many benefits.
Katelynn Evans, Bethel
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