Fall break kicked off on Tuesday, November 25, for Owatonna High School students. At 12:20 p.m., students were released from their fourth-hour class and enjoyed a two-hour early release. The reason for this early dismissal was because of a teacher union agreement that involved staff needing time to complete training videos. The two hours were beneficial because they allowed students to have a slightly longer break, and the staff were properly compensated for their time, as training would not take time outside of the usual school day. Both staff and students alike enjoyed the ensuing break from November 26-30.
Thanksgiving is what most people think of when it comes to fall break, and rightfully so. The holiday celebrates gratitude and appreciation for one another’s company as many enjoyed the celebration with friends and family. College kids came home from school and extended family reconnected during this special time.
Black Friday shopping also takes center stage during this break; many take advantage of the sales and deals to prepare for the holidays in December. Stores in town, such as Target and Fleet Farm, drew in extra customers with their Black Friday deals. Malls across the nation also saw a busy Friday. “Mall of America was fun because they had lots of stores to choose from for the sales they were running”, says Junior Owen Kubicek about the Black Friday fun he experienced.
This year, fall break was defined by a key event in Owatonna, the first snowfall of the season. On Wednesday morning of break, the streets were snow white and so were everyone’s driveways. Junior Trent Hanson, who co-owns GT Landscaping & Snow Removal along with fellow Junior Gavin Oldefendt, shared this on the impact they had over break and what it means to provide snow removal services to Owatonna and surrounding areas: “It was a lot of work with no sleep, and it wasn’t easy. But we made a lot of money and, most importantly, made a lot of people happy with clean driveways.”
Not only are the fall festivities a big part of fall break, but the chance to have a five day period to get back in the swing of things for December was also beneficial to everyone at OHS. Late fall to early winter can be a stressful time for a lot of people, as change happens rapidly and sunlight decreases, seasonal depression spikes, so it is vital to relax and take time for oneself.
Owatonna High School will have another break to look forward to in two weeks, as winter break starts on Wednesday, December 24.
