The San Ramon Valley Unified School District school board unanimously voted on Dec. 15 to implement a schedule that would move first semester finals before winter break next school year.

The new schedule will shift the beginning of the school year to Aug. 15, about two weeks earlier than the current school year’s start date. The last day of school next year is June 1, 2017.

This modified schedule is welcomed by most students, parents, and staff all across the district.

“I believe that [the schedule change] is an incredibly positive change for our high school students,” Principal Sarah Cranford said.

Many people believe the new schedule will decrease students’ stress levels, and allow them to enjoy the winter break without the pressure of preparing for finals in mid-January as students have been forced to do in the past.

“I like that the schedule moves finals to before winter break because that way I won’t have to be stressed out over the break about studying for finals,” said junior Madeline Gerbracht.

Many students are unable to truly enjoy the two-week break because they feel the need to prepare for first semester final exams. This stress is felt not only by students, but their parents and siblings as well.

Students spend excessive amounts of time studying, and may not be able to spend the break relaxing with families and friends.

“In my mind, this schedule change is about reducing the stress that preparing for finals causes students and their families over the winter break,” board member Rachel Hurd said during the meeting.

The district has been searching for ways to reduce students’ stress levels, which have increased in recent years because of the pressure put on students by their teachers and families.

“This action [the modified schedule] is one of the measures the district has explored in attempting to help reduce student stress by ending the first semester before winter break,” Superintendent Mary Shelton wrote in a statement published on the district website.

The schedule change is just one of the ways the district has attempted to reduce stress levels.

This year the district also introduced a new homework policy, which limits teachers to assigning no more than 30 minutes of homework a night, provided the class is not an advanced, honors or AP course.  Teachers are also not supposed to assign homework over breaks, according to the policy.

Some people find the new schedule to be beneficial because it will prevent students from having to relearn material covered before the break.

“I think we all tend to forget a lot over the break and it will be fun to come back to school in the new year with the fresh start of a new semester,” said junior Katie Ashley.

Winter break is supposed to be a time for students to rest and take some time off from the school pressures. But for many students, the entire break is spent studying for finals.

But not everyone supports the new schedule.

“There is always some opposition [to the new schedule] when we discuss this issue,” said board vice president Mark Jewett.

A petition with nearly 600 signatures circulated the district protesting the change. The petition stated the change would have negative effects because “the excessive amount of change would be overwhelming for students.”

But school board president Greg Marvel argued that change is not always negative.

“It is never easy to change the status quo,” said Marvel. “But we are making a change to the status quo that is in the best interest of these kids.”

Another argument against this schedule change was that it will force seniors to study for finals and complete college applications at the same time, thus adding to these students’ stress levels.

But proponents argued that the change doesn’t really affect college applications.

“I don’t think finals will interfere with my college applications at all,” said Ashley. “I can work on my applications over Thanksgiving break and also over winter break without having to worry about finals.”

College deadlines vary too much for the December finals to disrupt the application process of all seniors.

“I would rather have finals before winter break, because with that being done I could work on college apps all break,” said senior Camila Craig. “I don’t think the schedule necessarily interferes with college applications because all deadlines are different.”

For more information on  schedule, the complete instructional calendar for the 2016-17 school year is available on the district website at www.srvusd.net.