By Kate Buchas
Bulldog hour was introduced to Batavia High School for the first time fourth quarter of 2014. There was a trial run to see how the students and teachers even, would spend their time. Although they couldn’t get the most accurate data from everyone, because it was the one and only time the administration had done something like this, it seemed to go smooth enough to go through with the plan.
Bulldog hour was an hour designated to eat lunch, meet with teachers and get caught up on any homework that needed to be done. This started, officially, in the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year. We were all required to “check in” at the classroom we were in. This helped teachers and administrators know where we are and if our destination for bulldog hour needed to change because of grades or other obligations.
While walking through the hall, there are a lot of conversations going on and it isn’t all that hard to hear a lot of them. Some of them often enough, include bulldog hour. “I think it’s a great time to spend time with friends that you don’t normally see during the day, as well as checking in with teachers,” junior Alyssa Meadowcroft said.
I would have to agree with her. Bulldog hour is for students to get help from teachers when they’re struggling and need extra notes or guidance to succeed. On the other hand, if there is a student who is passing with decent grades, they are almost allowed to see friends and do other things with them while still abiding by the rules. It’s always nice to get help from teachers with a friend as well. You see your teachers for an hour and a half 5 days a week while you text, snapchat and tweet your friends daily, in and out of school. They know your weaknesses and they know how to help you get better.
“I think it should stay because, school is a very stressful time and you really need that one hour to just relax and check in with everything including work, teachers, homework and friends,” Meadowcroft said
This is something that teachers need to know. While most teachers only teach 2-3 classes a day, the students have 4 classes a day. Sometimes even 2 AP classes per day everyday. There is a lot we need to do as students to succeed. As well as, extra curriculars, work, chores and spending time with friends and family to maintain a healthy social life. all whilst getting the recommended 9.25 hours of sleep each night. As silly as it sounds, that one hour during the school day near the end of the week helps a lot. Most students ride the bus to school, so, they can’t get here any faster or leave any later than the other 70 students that ride their same bus. As I talk to my teachers who are on the other end of the spectrum with grading and teaching, they agree with us students.
“Bulldog hour allows me to meet with all students during an unstructured time and work with many at one time,” Sarah McEwen said
McEwen is the special education PE teacher here at BHS. She also works at RMS with another group of amazing special needs kids in gym class. She has been a big inspiration to me with all she has done for this school and the students we work with.
”I would keep bulldog hour. The positives outway the negatives. Giving the opportunity for students to better themselves academically or socially/emotionally is what we (teachers) are here for. This period of time allows for that!!” McEwen said
The students and teacher both seem to really appreciate the time we are given for bulldog hour every Thursday. It helps us all get time to organize what we want to do for our classes as well as spend time friends we don’t normally see on a regular school day.