On Nov. 5, after a push from both teachers and students, the administration decided to move the first day of midterm exams from Thursday, Jan. 8 to Monday, Jan. 12.

According to Principal John Dodig, the Collaborative Team, a group of teachers and parents that discuss how to improve Staples’ environment, voted to change the starting date of exams because teachers were concerned that three school days was not enough time between Holiday Recess and midterms.

Before the change, students were also concerned by the lack of study time.

Julia Kempner ’16, who started a petition on Thursday, Oct. 30 to postpone the midterm dates, said that she was shocked when she found out that midterms were scheduled so close to the end of break.

“At Staples, vacations [are] incredibly important to our mental state,” she said. “But when midterms were set to be so close to the vacation, I knew right then and there that there would be a lack of relaxation [during] that break.”

Samantha Chachra ’16 said she is glad that she can now spend more time with her family over break.

“This way we can enjoy what our break is supposed to be — a break or even a religious holiday for some — without being like, ‘Hey Grandma, Grandpa, I haven’t seen you in a year but now I have to write an essay on Shakespeare. Bye, nice seeing you,’” she said.

Among the many students who will be going away for break, Douglas Raigosa ’16 said he would not have been able to study even if he wanted to.

“I’m going away to celebrate Christmas in Brazil. There won’t be any wifi where I’m going, and I won’t have any time to study, so this push is a relief,” Raigosa said.

Overall, most students are happy about the midterm exams being pushed back.

“I think the change is exactly what we needed,” Kempner said. “Not only do students have more days after break to catch up on topics and review, but teachers will not feel as rushed to squeeze units into our weeks before the holidays.”