Lake County Gazette

At its June 14 meeting, the Waukegan Community Unit School District Board of Education heard from students who want a study hall returned to their high school.

“We also created a petition and we got up to 200 signatures of students, teachers and parents agreeing to our study hall idea,” student Jennifer Morales said. “What we need from you is to be a part of the 200 signatures and approve this idea.”

A group of five students did a class project on how and why to establish a study hall in their school. Lindsey Silva and Morales, along with Nathaniel Jimenez, Jesus Perez, and Valeria Palomar presented their project and suggestion to the board of education and asked for signatures in support of their plan.

The students said there are already empty spaces in the high school that could easily be utilized for the study hall. In terms of supervision and mentoring in the study hall, the students gave multiple suggestions. The school could hire someone specifically to monitor the study hall, or they could ask existing tutors at the school to volunteer, or have NHS and JROTC students get their volunteer hours by supervising.

Other ideas the students brought up in their presentation include having study hall open during lunch for students who have a full schedule or cannot otherwise get into the class normally, having students provide proof they have completed their work before they can go on their phones, and have students provide proof of sports, a job, 1 or more AP classes, or other activities in order to get into the study hall.

The board will meet again on the evening of Aug. 23 at the Lincoln Center on 1201 North Sheridan Road.