Editor’s Note: This piece was also posted in the Benet Herald 2023 Graduation Edition.

Starting next year, Benet will introduce a late start schedule occurring every other Thursday, with school starting at 9 a.m. This change hopes to eliminate part of the stress and burnout experienced by students and has been met with enthusiasm and support from a majority of the student body. Sophomore Meara Block expressed her excitement about the upcoming alteration saying, “I believe Benet can be a very stressful environment sometimes, and this sounds like a great opportunity for students to get more rest during the week.” Her statement reiterates the feelings of many students who often find themselves juggling multiple academic and extracurricular commitments each week. This implementation of the late start schedule shows a greater commitment by Benet Academy to prioritize the well-being of its students. By pushing back the start time by a little more than an hour, students will be afforded additional rest, allowing them to approach school with better focus and more energy. In addition to benefiting students’ well-being, the late start schedules also encourage better time management skills. With a later start time, students have the opportunity to establish a consistent morning routine that includes breakfast, exercise, and other self-care activities instead of a “panicked run” out the front door each morning. In an interview with Assistant Principal Perez, he stated that this implementation will allow teachers to meet more often to develop a better curriculum and review student data, leading to a better classroom environment for both the students and the teachers.