In the future, Benilde-St. Margaret’s spring break should undoubtedly be two weeks. This spring break, there was simply not enough time to completely recharge before the final stretch of the school year. Spring break is a time of travel, relaxation, and enjoyment. We can’t be fully invested in our vacation if we know we are coming back to school the next day.
Families should go on vacation for a week, then be able to come back and slowly get into their usual routine. This year, BSM should have given students another week to relax so they can be fully invested and ready to learn. Rest is a key factor in learning and breaks are a great way for your mind and body to rejuvenate.
Additionally, giving students two weeks would give families the choice of how they want to spend it. It would be smart to leave for one week and come home to prepare for the rest of the school year, but what happens to families wanting to travel to Europe, Australia, or Asia? Students go on trips for fun, yes, but it is more of an academic trip than one might think. On my spring break, I was able to use my Spanish speaking skills with the workers, I was able to learn about their culture and country, and I saw new animals I had never seen before. If I had two weeks instead of one to travel to other countries, I could explore new cultures and learn twice as much. Vacations teach us life lessons that school cannot, and to me, that is a no-brainer.
Other schools, like Providence Academy and Minnehaha Academy, have two-week spring breaks. Those schools made it work into their schedule to do a two-week break and I think BSM should follow their lead. Students at those schools are very bright and keep up with their schoolwork. It might be due to the fact that they have another week of relaxation before hitting the books hard during their last stretch.
Finally, teachers are often overworked during the school year, and we students would be nowhere in our academic journey without them. I think it would have been wise to also give teachers that extra week at home with their families. Many people got sick after traveling and it was a hassle to get extra substitutes to cover and for students to get work made up when we could have avoided the whole situation by giving everyone an extra week.