For the students of Saint Louis Public Schools, their 2019-2020 school year started off much differently than any of the years before. We began school before Labor Day. Not many students are happy about starting school earlier, but a few students are glad to get back into their routine.

Starting school before Labor Day doesn’t really affect me as much as others because either way we are getting our school days in. I think starting earlier makes summer a week shorter, and  many students had to cancel trips or activities due to starting school earlier. 

Sophomore Leah Chvojka said,”Personally, I think starting school before Labor Day is smart but doesn’t make most teachers or students happy. Starting school before Labor Day means that our school doesn’t have to go as late into June as we have in the past.” Chvojka added that starting school before Labor Day doesn’t change our education, but many families probably had to cancel trips. 

Sophomore, Ellie Gager stated, “I do not agree with school starting before Labor Day because we normally would just start after Labor Day, rather than starting before and having a shorter first week of school.” Gager also said, “I think that most people are thinking the first week wasn’t as big of a deal and didn’t take it seriously because we only started earlier to make up some time in the future for snow days.” 

Sophomore, Hunter Salladay says, “I don’t agree that starting school before Labor Day was a good idea because shortening the staff and students’ time away from school has made them unsatisfied and unprepared to return to a learning environment.”

Sophomore, Delaney Hitsman said, “I don’t think we should start school before Labor Day because it is still technically summer, and we all want to enjoy it since our summer was even shorter this year. “ She also added, that starting before Labor Day may have a negative impact on focusing for school. 

Sophomore, Korah Honig said, “I agree with the start date because I don’t want us to have school go late like it has the past couple years.” Honig added that having school before the first football, volleyball, and marching band activities gave student athletes time to prepare for their extracurriculars. 

Freshman, Ashton Leonard said, “We get longer breaks than usual, and I think most kids are okay with it.” Leonard also stated, “ I think it’s smarter because kids like the idea of longer breaks”.