Virginia Beach Public Schools should keep asynchronous Mondays in order to help student mental health and transition back to the regular schedule next year.

According to the Virginia Beach Public Schools, Mondays will return to a “normal” school day, like school years prior, with students face-to-face, but some argue that these Mondays have become vital for the students’ mental health. They often serve as a buffer day to finish homework or study for tests, and according to a recent Instagram survey @theolshcurrent, should not be taken away.

Keeping the school schedule consistent for the returning students next year would offer a familiar environment, one without or with little change; this consistency is vital for students to maximize their academic performance. 

The school district can benefit from a four-day week as well.

According to the National Conference of State Legislators, since students and teachers are at the school fewer hours, school districts can save a lot of money. They would not have to worry about power, food for school lunches, and other school accommodations, and could funnel the money towards other projects or initiatives that can help the school community as a whole. 

Teachers also benefit from asynchronous learning on Mondays. Many teachers felt overwhelmed with the amount of work they had, creating new lessons for the 4×4 or grading daily, but if asynchronous days on Mondays continue, teachers would have more time to transition back to the regular schedule and modify lessons to fit the block scheduling the districts plan to return to reinstate.

Keeping asynchronous Mondays could help increase the overall morale of the school. Many students have found jobs during the pandemic and help their families with their paychecks and their time. Having an extra day could help students keep calm as they transition back to the traditional schedule. It might lessen the effects of burnout that often takes place during times of change.

As life without COVID-19 modifications becomes more and more familiar, a day for students to learn from the comfort of the home and not succumb to the overwhelming pressure of school life is beneficial to the community and is crucial for student mental health.