A new day is coming to Cardinal Gibbons this holiday season. It is a day that will be appreciated by both the staff and the students. This day, in question, is Reading Day.
A reading day is a time dedicated to studying and assembling tools for upcoming exams. These are normally implemented by high schools and colleges to give a break for students to prepare, without having to go to classes or worry about any other assessments.
The schedule at Cardinal Gibbons will be a little different than most reading days at other schools. This day will occur on Dec. 8, the Friday before the week of exams. It will be a virtual event, allowing students to pick and choose what they need to study for. Zooms will be provided by each department, each running 45 mins long. The classes will take place from 8:30-11:45, giving students the opportunity to do last minute studying and permitting teachers to put in some final Quarter 2 grades in the afternoon. While the zooms are completely optional, they are highly encouraged for students to join and ask questions. Furthermore, if teachers offer, students can schedule additional meetings or email them with any further questions.
The Schedule for Zoom Times on December 8, 2023
But why do we have a Reading Day this year, as opposed to other times? It is a straightforward answer: it’s easier for everyone. This year, when the schedule was being made, the semester ended on an A day. This was considered impractical, as it throws off both the students and the teachers. Ending on an A day means that some classes have an extra period compared to the others, which can cause confusion for all of the parties involved. In addition, for teachers who teach the same class and level, but it occurs on different days, it is hard to balance out the work so that both groups end up learning the same material. Thus, the decision was made to eliminate that this year, in favor of a reading day.
There are a few other ways students can use this time as a resource to help them in the semester and exams. Although it is not encouraged to hold off on assignments, if students have any quarter two grades that they still need to work on, this is a great opportunity to submit them for late grades. In addition, the afternoon provides time for students to get together and study or collaborate over FaceTime if they wish.
While some may be tempted to skip this day, it would be advantageous to get on, even if you don’t have any questions, as something may be asked that you have not thought of. Despite this, the reality of the situation is that there will most likely be a few students who choose not to use the day correctly. However, there are still high hopes for what might be accomplished through the use of these virtual classes.
The goal is for “students to use this day as an opportunity to prepare for their semester exams, have access to all of their classroom educators if they have questions about the exam preparation materials, and if necessary, submit any remaining assignments,” Ms. Barkan wrote in response to a question about the administration’s hopes for what will be accomplished.
In the end, this day should hopefully provide extra support for students to get a little bit more studying done. It will require students to be responsible with their time and use their resources to their advantage, despite being a virtual day. However, if used properly, this will be a great addition to the end of the semester, and will also prevent the chaos that results from ending the quarter on an A day.
