tHe eagle
Volume 10, Issue 1 November 2019
Changes to Lockers, Schedule Require Cooperation and Compromise from Upper Graders By KAYSIE LIANG ‘20 The 2019-2020 school year started with official rule, it is true that some Middle Grade ute window for Middle Grade students to go to quite a few surprises for returning students. students struggle to unhook their lock from their their lockers, located inside of their classrooms. Within the first few weeks of school, changes to top locker due to them not being able to reach it But due to a law mandating equal periods, we no NEST+m caught many of us off guard. Changes without jumping. longer have the homeroom, and all periods are include an extended class period, a reduced hallHaving to share is not the only issue 45 minutes. Class periods were also lengthened way passing time, the elimination of homeroom, caused by Middle Grade students having hall- in order to fulfill the weekly 90 minutes of physiand--the one that surprised us the most--manda- way lockers. We are ALL now faced with the cal education mandated by New York State. As tory locker sharing. a result, the time between classes The change in the locker sitwas shortened so that the school uation is at the core of Upper Grade day would still be 8:20 a.m.-2:40 frustration. In years past, if you p.m. shared a locker with someone, you The change in our bell were guaranteed a top locker, and schedule has created a clear ripif you wanted a locker to yourself, ple effect. Unfortunately, those you would get a bottom one. Howof us who get to school right ever, at the beginning of the school on time, and not early, miss the year, it was announced that everychance to hear the morning anone, even those with bottom locknouncements, which are now ers, was required to share a locker given at 8:10 a.m. However, our with another person. The reason for hallways don’t have speakers; the change is that Middle Grade stuyou have to be inside a classroom dents were given hallway lockers to hear the announcements. Even this year. with some classroom doors open, Previously, Middle Grade I doubt many of you have noticed students visited lockers that were announcements due to how quiet inside Middle Grades classrooms; the PA system seems to be when without a designated homeroom the students in the halls are yelltime, however, lockers inside classing and racing to class. In fact, rooms were a major inconvenience many clubs have had to resort to Middle Grade teachers, who were to asking teachers to make anforced to open their rooms before, nouncements at the beginnings during, and after school to provide of each of their classes in order to access. Opening classrooms was ofspread the word about activities ten disruptive to Upper Grade classand opportunities. es that happened during Middle I asked our school’s mornGrades lunch, and it was difficult ing announcer, Thomas Field ‘20, for teachers to monitor students at about his thoughts on giving antheir lockers during passing periods nouncements before school. He when they also had to run to another Now that Middle Graders have lockers in the outside hallway, all students must share a said, “I think we aren’t able to locker. In the past, Upper Graders only had to share if they had a top locker. Above, an Upplace for a class or meeting. When get messages to as many people.” per Grades senior struggles to get to her bottom locker while a Middle Grades student takes no teacher was available (like late The morning announcements that books from his top locker. Photo Credit: Angana Saha ‘20. afterschool or during teacher preps), used to help everyone stay inMiddle Grade students sometimes formed about upcoming school couldn’t access their lockers at all. issue of overcrowding, as it has become harder events, club events, and sports victories are now At the end of last year, the administra- to travel between classes. Not only do we have muffled in the crowds of students trying to make tion decided that the solution was to give them three minutes, one minute fewer, of passing time, it to their lockers so they can get to class on time. hallway lockers. While this is a nice and under- we also now have to get through the crowds of As for all of this year’s changes, they are standable turn of events for the Middle Grades middle schoolers at their lockers. Certain areas, here to stay. However, I did ask Mr. Berkowitz students, it has hurt the Upper Grades popula- like the science hall, are notably difficult to walk about what would be happening to the lockers tion. through. It is now impossible to get to class with- inside the Middle Grades classrooms. He said The abruptness of the change caused out getting stuck in a traffic jam of Upper Grade that hopefully, we can get them out of the classsome--especially members of the senior class-- students or getting run into by Middle Grade stu- rooms and into the hallways in a way that comto feel a sense of neglect. “I think it is yet anoth- dents scurrying to their next class (the bell al- plies with the fire department regulations before er example of how the administration does not ready rang, my friend. There is no need to run. the end of this school year. care about the high school and upperclassmen in I’ve tried). We acknowledge that many of the changgeneral,” said Taylor Clanton ‘20. Clanton has So we know these changes exist, but most es were outside of our control, and technically, also expressed her distress to the administrative of us don’t know why. To get an explanation, I this is a good chance for all of us to practice coteam, yet she has received a lackluster response spoke to our school’s principal, Mr. Berkowitz, operation and compromise as part of a very big and still holds frustration for the situation. “We and he said that many changes had to do with school community. But that doesn’t change the (seniors) have been told since the beginning of the bell schedules and mandates passed down by fact that many of the shifts are an inconvenience. freshman year that we’d have lockers on top,” New York State. For instance, New York State So to all my fellow students who are continues Taylor, “and it seems a little ridiculous has a mandate that requires all instructional peri- frustrated with the many logistical changes that that some middle schoolers who can’t even reach ods to take up the same amount of time. If any of have swept NEST+m this year, let’s hope that those upper lockers get to have them.” Although you recall, 1st Period used to consist of “home- change really does happen eventually so that all the promise to seniors was never a written or room” time, which, in part, served as a 10-min- students have room and feel informed.