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Unionville High adds structured study halls to help overwhelmed students catch up
Summary
School leaders described a new tier‑1 structured study hall available to any student with an existing study‑hall period. The program emphasizes adult check‑ins, PowerSchool/Canvas checks and short goal setting to improve executive functioning and reduce missing assignments.
Unionville High School administrators described the rollout of “structured study hall,” a universal Tier‑1 MTSS intervention designed to give students short‑term, targeted support for organization and make‑up work, during a district Curriculum, Instruction & Technology meeting in September.
Assistant Principal Miss Carter said structured study hall is available to any student who already has a study hall; a student without a study hall period would not be moved out of an academic class for it. Students can request placement, parents can request it, and teachers or study‑hall supervisors can recommend a student for the structured setting.
"We have study hall. Everybody knows what study hall is, and now we have structured study hall," Miss Carter said. "We're not expecting the teachers to be experts in all of the subjects and able to teach them, but rather coach them." She described the teacher’s role as a coach or cheerleader who prompts students to check PowerSchool, Canvas and email, make a short checklist and pick one task to complete.
Administrators said the expectation is that students do not live permanently in structured study hall but use it as a temporary intervention to regain footing after absence, injury, or a period of falling behind. School leaders said the intervention also addresses the social need some students have for an adult connection in school; those students would be prioritized for more intensive follow‑up.
The principals described the intervention as administratively straightforward. "One of our school counselors came into my office...it was as simple as looking at the child's schedule, recognizing that a child already has a study hall, and, boom, just making the decision to move over to the structured study halls and intervention," the principal said.
Board members raised the question of whether the practices used in structured study hall should be expanded as baseline expectations for all study halls. One board member recommended a two‑tier model: Level 1—clear expectations and routine teacher check‑ins in every study hall; Level 2—the structured study hall for students needing more intensive support.
Administrators said they would review expectations for all study halls while preserving the small‑group, low‑visibility nature of structured study hall so students who feel vulnerable about being singled out can receive help in a separate space.
Officials gave a typical size range for regular study halls of about 24–28 students, with senior lounges sometimes larger, and said structured study halls are expected to be smaller. No budget changes were announced at the meeting.
