Every year we come back to school to new changes being implemented in the building. Some years there are fewer changes and some years, like this year, many new changes are made. Our staff has many opinions regarding the new changes in our school.
The phone policy seemed to get the most backlash from students, but we found there were many positives to the new policy. We found that it is much easier to pay attention in class when there are fewer distractions around you. You are also held much more accountable for staying off your devices than in previous years. The biggest thing missed is being able to listen to music. Sometimes it is more of a distraction having to listen to people talk while trying to complete work than it is to play your music. That being said, there’s a fine line between listening to music while completing assignments and not paying attention to the teacher while they are actively teaching.
Senior McKenna Dayton realizes the effects not using her phone has had on her academics.
“I miss being able to listen to music when doing assignments and during free time in class. It has helped me stay focused during class since I can’t just reach down and use my phone. I think we should be able to use it during lunch and in the halls because it doesnt interfere with learning,” Dayton said.
The phone policy also affects us, as media students, when we are trying to cover the school. In past years we could use our phones for interviews and taking photos of events. Computers work for interviews, but they are more clunky to carry around.
Junior Elsie Corriston has found ways to work with the new systems.
“I have had to get used to planning ahead because there are a lot of pictures on my phone that I need to upload to my computer, which I can no longer do in class. Taking photos during school is also much harder because we don’t want to use a camera for a single class photo,”Corriston said.
Our hall pass system is also new this year, going fully online. In theory, it seems like a good idea but we have come across plenty of flaws. The biggest advantage of the hall passes is the fact that the bathrooms are emptier than before. There are many problems when it comes to getting your pass approved. You are not allowed to leave the classroom if a certain amount of people in your section are already out.
“I have tried a few times to use the pass but half of the time I get denied because the bathrooms are full. It’s really inconvenient when your just trying to go to the bathroom,” Dayton said.
After the recent threat on our school, the administration has cracked down on the metal detectors and policies for letting students in. This is most inconvenient for students trying to get into the school early for before school activities and to meet with teachers. As a student who comes to school early, it’s much harder to get in. All students must come in through the front doors if they try getting into the school, but those doors open at 7:40. Trying to get into the school earlier than that is almost impossible unless a teacher is letting you in, but we understand that the safety of our school must come first.
“I am a dancer and I know many people who try to come in early for rehearsals run into trouble trying to get into the school on time,” Corriston said.
The transition time between classes has also been shortened. Last year some of the transition periods were as long as eight minutes, but now students sometimes find themselves rushing to class.
“It’s still a struggle to get to the other side of the school during the time provided. Even though there is no outside classes, some of mine are still across the entire school and its hard to get to them. Teachers have also been stricter about tardies even though we have less time to get to class,” Dayton said.
When it comes to lunch, not using your phone isn’t the only difference. Students aren’t allowed to go outside to the courtyard and cannot sit outside at the tables on the parking lot side of the school. This is different from previous years where they were both allowed.
“I thought we would at least be able to eat outside, but recently they have told us we cant eatoutside anymore. I miss getting fresh air during the school day. It was always nice to get a break and eat outside, especially during the fall when the weather is perfect. I also liked eating outside because the cafeteria gets crowded and very loud. Outside it’s quieter and more relaxing,” Dayton said.
Overall we think the changes made were necessary, but wish some were done in moderation. Students also feel like they are not informed and wish we were told reasons why and more information about new changes being implemented.
