Less than one month into the school year, Principal Danny Mendez announced new morning entry procedures for students. 

When students are released from the buses, they must go straight to the cafeteria to eat breakfast or straight to their first period class. If students drive to school or get dropped off, they must be seated in the cafeteria or in the student center until the 8:20 a.m. bell rings. When the bell rings, students must go directly to their first period. 

Assistant Principal Nick Brewer oversees building operations. He and other administrators look at past practices to understand what is best for safety and security protocols.  

“Seeing the way the student center was an area of congregation that was difficult to supervise, a lot of the policy changes have to do with making sure that everyone can be in a safe and secure location and supervised while they are in this building,” Brewer said. 

Administration made these new procedures to keep the student centers and hallways clear and accessible. 

“I do think the new policies have made a difference. From a supervision and security standpoint, I do think that we have had a lot of by-in from students and I think that we’ve seen a decrease in behaviors that are not safe,” Brewer said. 

The new morning procedures affect underclassmen who hangout in the school before classes begin. 

“I used to meet up with friends in the library before school to do homework and talk, but now we aren’t able to past 8:20,” freshman Samuel Hueftle said, “I don’t really like the new policy. Even though it does not affect me a lot, it’s annoying having to head straight to first period.” 

For other students, however, the new procedures do not affect them because they drive to school and walk in later.  

“The new policies do not really affect me because I drive to school most of the time. I don’t think they will change anything either because people will still group up in the hallways and fight,”  senior Marlina Anderson said. 

Despite the differing opinions on the new morning entry procedures, administration continues to encourage students to get to class as soon as possible in order to maintain a productive learning environment.