WOODBURY — Many new policies were brought to Nonnewaug students starting this school year. One includes a work-study program that allows some juniors to leave study halls at the end of the day to pursue work opportunities.
Assistant principal Declan Curtin believes that having this new work study will be a beneficial way for students to use their free time in a way that will benefit everyone.
“The goal is to get a very small percentage of our junior students who are going to take the path after high school into ag to have more experience,” said Curtin.
This is an advantage for students’ academics because they’re getting time to work while still getting credit for it.
Although the intentions for this study block are good, some students believe others may be able to take advantage of the program as a way to get out of school.
Junior ag student Noah Zupan believes students may take advantage of this new program.
“It’s just another way to leave study hall and get out of class,” said Zupan.
Although Zupan is able to leave study hall early for his job where he mows lawns, he takes advantage of the program. Students have to provide documentation of their work.
Junior Ty Starziski loves the idea of the new rule because it’s beneficial to him and is something that he believes could help other students who struggle balancing their time.
Starziski has his own landscaping company and also works on a farm, so he gets a chance to leave from seventh-period study hall Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“I think it is important to us juniors because it gives me the credits I need but I still get to work and make money,” said Starziski. “It will help and benefit me because I need another job other than my ag one. Also, I like the idea because I wish I could leave school to work, so this is the second-best thing.”
This work study cannot used as a time for ag students to go get more hours for their Supervised Agricultural Experience.
With this new work study, it is important for students to make sure that they are following all of the rules and restrictions of this new opportunity. If students take advantage of this, it could be taken away and cause problems for the students that appreciate this chance to work.
This is giving students who don’t want to go to college and work right after school an advantage. It allows them to work more while also getting a better feel for what it is like to manage work with other responsibilities, like school.
