ISS just got a lot more strict.

Instead of sitting, listening to music, playing on your phone, a slew of new rules and new teacher were put in place to make ISS a less enjoyable place to be, including community service.

Principal Dr. Jeff Stichler said community service is optional. Students can either participate or sit in the assistant principal’s office and write an essay about why doing community service is important.

“I think it’s a good life lesson,” Stichler said.

Sophomore Shelby Champagne likes how ISS was last year.

“The teacher was pretty chill,” Champagne said.

Assistant Principal Kathy Franklin thinks that ISS this year has improved greatly.

“It has more structure and disciplinary placement,” she said. “When students are doing community service they are just helping out it’s a random act of kindness. It’s not official community service like if you needed it for a club it wouldn’t count. They are helping their school be a better place.”

Sophomore Tori McCall said that she was OK with ISS how it was but thinks it’s better this year.

“I think it was fair last year but, this year it’s better because fewer people are getting in trouble but worse for the kids who do get in trouble,” McCall said.

Students not liking the new system is exactly the point, according to ISS teacher Caryl Defrancesco.

“Last year, ISS was a hangout place and not much productivity,” she said. “I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the teachers and I don’t think that kids would want to go back. A lot of them don’t like it.”

According to Assistant Principal Brian Lovetinsky, hall monitor Ronald Sanders or Defrancesco watches the students while they are doing their community service.

Rules are posted in the room so students know what is expected; they have lockers for their belongings; and if the students don’t have any demerits, they are allowed their phone back the last 30 minutes of class.

”They will be good so they can get their phone back,” Stichler said. “Now there is a point to be good.”