8 | the standard / nov. 2021 / opinion
Unnecessary Paper pass process inconveniences students and staff
A
fter an extended hiatus from inperson classes due to COVID-19, there have been several new procedures and schedule revisions put into action. Some of which have proven to be an advantage to the student body, but others have done the exact opposite. Implementing more academic intervention time has become a top priority for administration this school year, which provides lots of opportunities for students to complete their work during the day. Not only is this academic support built into regular class periods, but students are also encouraged to take advantage of their TIPS class. Not all students have seen the benefits of this additional work time and most privileges are specific to upperclassmen. Although this time is meant to be independently structured for the students, all building staff is now required to collect a signed paper hall pass or sealed TIPS 2 invitation
in order to let students leave their classrooms or visit another teacher. As I have observed this new system for an entire quarter, it has been made abundantly clear to me that the paper passes are a large inconvenience to students. However, principal Scott Roberts said these paper passes are meant to challenge students to practice time management skills. “When we initially introduced academic support time last spring, it was kind of a free for all,” Roberts said. “The time is meant to be spent on homework and student-teacher interaction, so after reviewing our options, we decided that paper passes would be the most simple solution.” The vast majority of our current student body didn’t get to experience Timber Time pre-COVID, so adjusting to the new pass system might not seem so difficult. However, senior Kennadie Campbell said this transition to using paper passes has jeopardized the freedom for older students.
