Hall Monitors Combat Shenanigans

It is 2:13 p.m. The official school day is almost over at Jamesville- Dewitt High School. As soon as the bell rings, students burst out of their classrooms to go home or stay after for activity period. With spring sports going on right now, more and more students are staying for activity period. However, the administration is cracking down on kids wandering the halls more than in past years.

"If you're staying, you're studying," is a favorite quote of J-DHS's Assistant Principal Colleen Tedeschi. During activity period Mrs. Tedeschi said students should participate in clubs, seek extra help from teachers, make up past assignments and PE classes and not to wander the halls with friends. Coach James Tuck monitors the halls during and after school. He agrees with Mrs.Tedeschi: "Students should be with a teacher for extra help or at the athletic study hall doing homework."

Mrs. Tedeschi says students can't wander the halls after school because of safety reasons. "If you are in the halls it's disruptive to the students who are making up tests, doing homework and looking for extra help," says Coach Tuck. According to Mrs. Tedeschi the amount of wandering has decreased because the supervisors were so diligent about telling the students.

Junior Megan Clark believes that it's good to keep people out of the halls and focus on schoolwork. Although she said it's frustrating and too strict she agrees that you should focus on schoolwork.

Junior Michelle Dallalah thinks, the rule is "positive. I've been stopped for a pass after school and that's ridiculous. I mean do you really need a pass after school?" Dallalah, spends her afterschool time in the library, Senora Passage's room, Oppedisano, her math teacher, her bio teacher Mr. Comfort, or she goes to club meetings. I never have enough time. I wish classes ended earlier and activity period was longer. Dallalah thinks that activity period is very helpful because you can study with your teacher after school and focus on your homework when you get home.

Sophomore Emily Bazydlo said the activity period's strict rules don't really affect her but she thinks its good because "some people do just wander."

Seniors Nicole Ortega and Bridget O'Grady both agree that the rule is hard to enforce. O'Grady says, "Many students are going back and forth between sports and teachers all time. It's inevitable that we are going to stop and talk in the hall." Ortega says, "If you miss a day [of school] you will have to walk in the hall to see your teachers." During activity period both of them go to teachers' rooms and occasionally to the trainer.

Sophomore Deke Burns says, "I think it's stupid how you can't go anywhere." Burns goes to either pickle ball or biology after school. He thinks the administration is too strict because it's not like the people wandering the halls doing anything bad, just walking with friends. "Find a class in one minute or else you can't play in your game!" This is yet another phrase heard in the halls, according to Burns.

Freshman Brad Delevan says, "The new rules are stupid because if you don't have to make up work or don't have homework but you do have sports what do you do?" Delevan often goes to play basketball in the gym or just walks around the halls. He agrees with O'Grady and Ortega that the administration is too strict about it. Delevan says, "It shouldn't be about where you are but if you're in the school."

Senior Emma Pusey said that the rule is "Too strict because school is already out." She frequently goes to Mr. Goldberg's room or roams the halls and gets in trouble.

Freshman Mike Perkins says, "Its unfair because we aren't really in school anymore and kids should be able to enjoy themselves." Perkins frequently goes to teachers' classrooms or plays badminton in the main gym.