Throughout time, the study hall policies at Stevenson have tended to remain the same, except for the 9th-grade dorms. For students starting their first year in high school, stricter rules are implemented to help them acclimate to boarding school life. However, fluctuating rules have been a common trend for the 9th-grade dorms over the past three years. The classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028 all experienced different study hall rules during their 9th-grade year, but why is that?
What are the 9th-grade Study Hall Rules Now and Then?
The clock strikes 7:20; the on-duty prefect begins to warn the 9th graders that they have five minutes to put away their phones. After five minutes pass, the 9th graders line up in a single-file line and make their way to the cafeteria, where they will stay until 9:00. During study hall in the dining hall, the prefects hand out a to-do list for the 9th graders to fill out. At 9:00, the 9th graders return to the dorms, marking the end of study hall and the start of quiet hours. Finally at 9:30, the 9th graders can retrieve their phones.
The Class of 2027 followed a similar study hall routine, except they stayed in the dining hall until 8:30, and the study hall did not end at 9:00 but at 9:30. The Class of 2026 was dramatically different. Study hall started at 8:00 and ended at 10:00, and 9th graders didn’t leave the dorms to go to the cafeteria.
First Hand Account From Becky O'Neill
They have lived in Barrows with all three class years, and have seen the effects of the study hall rules on each grade.
The Change in Study Hall Rules
Recalling her first experience at Stevenson, O’Neill noted that the rules were quite different from any format in the last three years. From 2019 to 2020, one roommate would work in the room, and the other would work in the common room; then the next day, they would switch. Students were also prohibited from using their computers until 9:00. Most assignments were done on paper. However, because of COVID, most assignments became virtual and stayed that way.
During COVID, every student lived in a single room, and people remained in their rooms during study hall. Prefects would check in via Zoom. As a result, study hall started at 8:00 and ended at 10:00 to allow students to be outside longer and for faculty to have more time with their families. The Class of 2026 was able to experience having a study hall from 8:00 to 10:00 and staying in their dorm rooms, except for prefects checking in through Zoom.
Adding to how the school approaches different classes, O'Neill further explained the possible reasons why the classes handled study hall differently, including the impact of COVID: “When they (Class of 2026) were in middle school, they communicated a lot more over cell phones. As we move to the younger groups, we see some of the impacts of being so connected in a virtual space to their peers.” O'Neill points out that the Class of 2026 was virtual for most of their middle school years, unable to interact face-to-face due to COVID and the lockdown. It became the norm for the class to study and work in their rooms, where they could do what they wanted.
According to O’Neill, the study hall rules have changed throughout the years to test which policies fit better. Students share the same view as O'Neill, with Karlita Harris '26 describing her class as “rambunctious.”
However, Lucy Stockdale, Associate Dean of Student and Residential Life, explains that the study hall rules have nothing to do with the classes themselves, despite what many faculty and students presume. Stockdale stated that the change from study hall in the dining room to dorm rooms was meant as a general improvement in the 9th grade model and did not change because of one class's behavior.
The structure is meant for general 9th graders to help them create better study habits, such as time management, prioritizing the most pressing assignments, navigating Canvas, checking email, upcoming calendar commitments, and collaborating with peers productively while being supervised and supported by consistent faculty presence. Stockdale further explained that while COVID did result in changes to the study hall rules for the class of 2026, the class of 2026 had no impact on study hall rules changing for the classes of 2027 or 2028. Instead, Stockdale says the changes happened to rebuild the prior classes' systems before COVID-19, since more positive impacts were seen on students who previously participated in study halls that were located in the dining hall.
Stockdale also pointed out that, while we may work to make small tweaks to better the system in place, these study hall rules are not going to drastically change, as we are seeing positive benefits to this model on our youngest cohort of high school students. The only way they would be changed? Is if Atwood and Barrows were given their own place to work, instead of both dorms using the dining hall during study hall.
Although there are many guesses as to why the study hall rules have changed, the true reason is that COVID impacted them, and in the years following, the study hall norms have been coming back little by little.
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