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Kirkwood High School to experiment with homework-free weekends

Staff members got the idea after they noticed an increase in students looking for emotional and social help from school counselors.
File photo.

Kirkwood High School said it is trying an experiment to help the mental health of students and teachers.

In a weekend in February and another in March, Kirkwood High School will not be giving homework, school leaders said.

Principal Michael Havener said leaders got the idea after staff noticed more students looking for emotional and social help from school counselors. The school will use surveys to determine if they will continue the program moving forward.

The first weekend will be Feb. 17 and 18. The second weekend will be March 10 and 11.

Dawn Quello is a freshman. She spends at least 30 minutes on homework every day.

"If there's a test, an hour or two," Quello said.

Camille Baker is a senior. She’s taking three AP classes.

"Definitely on the weekends I've been known to do homework for like up to six or seven hours," Baker said.

It's not just homework keeping these girls busy. Quello participates in cross country and track at school and dance outside of school.

“I went to bed at 10 then all of a sudden I was going to bed at like 10:30 sometimes, like 11," she said.

Baker is editor-in-chief of the Kirkwood Call, a student newspaper.

"Sometimes it gets to be just all too much," Baker said.

Baker and Quello say a weekend without the books could help.

"Less stress,” Quello said. “I feel I'll be able to perform better in school."

"We do need that time to just be kids,” Baker said. “Just taking the time to kind of reset and let our mental health be prioritized is important."

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