STUDENTS BEGIN PETITION FOR STAGGERED RELEASE

BY LEZLIE TINNEY

Students at WHS have started a petition to bring back staggered release. The petition was made by senior Ayden Usinski, after he realized the traffic in the WHS parking lot was dangerously chaotic. At the end of the day, when the last bell rings at 2:34, students sprint to their cars and to the buses to get out.

“Some current issues that I’ve seen are kids almost being hit,” Usinski said. “This is because students are running across the lot to get to their cars and there are other students racing out of the lot, going way faster than they should be. I’ve also seen an accident happen and many other close calls because everyone is in such a rush to get out.”

Usinski’s idea for staggered release would be to let out different grades at different times. Starting with seniors at 2:28, juniors at 2:30, sophomores at 2:32, and freshmen at 2:34.

“I do think a staggered release would fix the issue. Whether it’s by grade level, like I recommended, or class number/floor,” Usinski said.

Students have been reposting the link to the petition on their social media accounts, and currently there are 409 signatures. Usinski started the petition with the expectation of receiving the reaction he got.

“I did expect a reaction like that from other students because everyone I talk to completely agrees with me on this topic and that it needs to be changed,” Usinski said. “Teachers as well agree, from what I’ve been told.”

The process of implementing staggered release is more than just taking a few minutes to release students

“We’re required to have so many hours of class time, so there is a lot much more required,” Berlin said

Student Proposed Staggered Release Schedule

SENIORS SOPHOMORES

JUNIORS FRESHMEN earlier. The last time staggered release was implemented at WHS was during the COVID-19 pandemic, to keep students and staff apart for safety.

“We’ve had those conversations, it’s not as simple as just doing a staggered release,” Rich Berlin said.

Implementing a staggered release would take away from class time; and the school can not do that because the state requires a certain amount of time in class each year.

Berlin believes that a staggered release schedule, would open up the parking lot more and relieve some of the congestion, but he thinks that the students would still be running out into the parking lot to get out as fast as possible.

2:28 2:30 2:32 2:34

“There’s always concerns when teenagers are driving, and trying to get out of here,” Berlin said. “We’re always concerned about the safety of everybody.”

The current solution from the staff is to stay out in the parking lot during release to monitor traffic and safety.

“We will consider everybody’s ideas on how to make things better,” Berlin said.

Currently staggered release is being discussed and taken into consideration for the 2023-2024 school year.