Study Hall Letter to MVA Parents

6 years ago

MVA High School – Study Hall Assignment

Dear MVA High School Parents,

Your dedication to our school program has grown from your recognition of MVA teachers’ unparalleled commitment to your student’s academic success.  With limited resources and a wide range of student needs, we need to maintain a sharp focus on student support for academic intervention.

In addition to your critical role as parent teacher, a key factor in our MVA students demonstrating such high achievement is the continuous monitoring of their academic standing by their advisors and teachers.  Some parents may not be aware that MVA teachers meet weekly, as a group, to discuss program issues and recommend procedural changes that will better meet the needs of our students.

Study Hall, as a concept, has always been a place where students are assigned to work quietly on class assignments and to get work done while they are at school so they can have relatively quick access to a teacher if there is a question.  Study Hall should support students’ efforts toward high achievement.  However, as the number of students in Study Hall increases, we also have the potential for an increase in distractions and a decrease in productivity.  If a student’s productivity is compromised, then the purpose of Group Study Hall for that student is nullified or at least minimized.  The best measure we have of student productivity is academic grades.

Independent Study requires close monitoring of student progress.  We want every MVA student to succeed and maintain their regulatory eligibility to remain in Independent Study.  As soon as a student’s grades slip below ‘C’ level, he/she is at risk for becoming credit deficient, and thus at high risk for becoming ineligible to remain in Independent Study.  Our teachers take this very seriously and, because of that, we have formalized procedures for Study Hall assignment.

  • Study Hall is not a place, it is a Student Support.  As a default location (unless otherwise directed), Group Study Hall will be in Room D-3.  However, students can also be assigned to Classroom Study Hall.
  • Classroom Study Hall:  Students whose current grade in any core subject falls to a ‘D’ or ‘F’ level will be assigned to a teacher-supervised classroom for Student Support, with the specific intent of focusing on the targeted at-risk course.  This is not a punishment.  This is Student Support because it ensures that students will have access to a teacher, and assistance in maintaining a focus on work completion in the at-risk course(s).
    • Example:  Student is at risk of failing History.  Student will be assigned to Study Hall in Mr. Hofer’s classroom.
    • Students will remain assigned to the classroom until their grade is brought up to a ‘C’ level, indicating that they can again benefit from Group Study Hall.
    • Students can request long-term Classroom Study Hall if that environment better meets their needs and there is teacher approval of that request.
    • Although parents attend conferences with their student’s advisor on a regular basis, students assigned to Classroom Study Hall should take responsibility for informing their parents.

The option for placement in Classroom vs. Group Study Hall is the decision of the teacher team and will continue to be made in the best academic and long-term interest of the student.  We know that parents share our goal of providing an optimum learning environment for students, and we look forward to your continued support in the provision of a productive atmosphere for learning on campus.

~Mrs. Tennebaum, and MVA High School Teachers and Support Staff~