This morning the Principal Advisory Committee addressed hallways traffic solutions, scheduling changes for next year, possible tardy incentive systems and approved lunch line policy changes going into effect Tuesday.

Lunch line changes

Lunch line discussion led the meeting; Principal Dr. Terri Benson announced approved implementation of lunch stanchions to discourage line cutting. On Tuesday, a completely overhauled line system will begin: condensing the 5+ lines into one funnel-like line wrapping around the edge of the lunch room rather than between lunch tables. AP’s will stand watch to assist students with the transition.

Following the announcement was debate over the newly implemented snack line. Benson agreed to introduce two “lunch-only” lines, to encourage students to utilize the dedicated snack line in response to students ignoring the snack line.

Benson plans to speak with Cafeteria Manager Juanita Seidel to implement these changes by next week, and partnered with Student Media to create graphics for students to identify each dedicated line, displayed on the cafeteria TVs.

Long term solutions were briefly discussed, bringing up the idea of meal pre-orders during attendance similar to STAAR testing days but none were officialized.

Hallway traffic debate

While no final decisions were made regarding hallway traffic, the committee acknowledged the failure of dedicated stairwell directions utilized earlier this year  and instead debated implementing a staggered-release bell, which would have passing periods separated by grade level. Benson declined this offer.

“We tried that and it was a flop, it doesn’t work because kids are still actively in class when other kids are trying to get into that class,” Benson said. “(Upon testing) the stagger-release plan, when I let the seniors and juniors out, they were stuck (in the hallway) waiting for their next class to get out. So then we have kids standing (outside the classrooms) cluttering the hall.”

Scheduling challenges

Following up the freshman separation plan from the previous meeting, Benson mentioned that while she was creating the Master Schedule, problems arose with ninth grade fine arts and athletic classes. 

“If I try to do the separation of freshmen from upper class (mentioned last meeting), and I only have freshmen one in seven that puts band (for example) in a bad position,” Benson said. “Symphonic Band has to be one or seven. Percussion has to be one or seven, and boys freshman athletics is already seven. Yikes.”

The discussed solution was maintaining mixed-grade fine arts classes and athletics for an additional year but separating academics until the completion of the ninth grade campus. 

ID endorsement; Tardy enforcement

The meeting ended with a brief discussion on ID and Tardy enforcement. Suggested ideas were, introduction of ID related rewards, such as lanyards, stickers or pins, embracing the ID as an active campus culture. 

This discussion sparked the idea of a school store featuring “panther bucks” which would be obtained by a week of no absences or tardies. The store would offer all the items with additional food or snacks funded by the school vending machine profits.

“It’ll be cool at first but then, everyone’s just gonna forget about it,” Sophomore Rylee Holman said. “It’s just, lanyards and food and stuff like that, you know? I mean, I get that from my AP, you know? I don’t really think anyone would be super interested in it.”

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Students are encouraged to give their feedback on discussed topics via the forum here.