Starting in November, Coppell High School implemented a policy for students with a release period to report to the Lecture Hall rather than remaining in various areas of the campus.
According to associate principal Taylor Smith-Bothun, earlier this year and last year, CHS experienced problems with release students roaming around campus and distracting other classes. Many students spent the majority of their releases wandering around the school without supervision.
“There was not one central location for students on release,” Smith-Bothun said. “Students would mostly hang out in the CHS Commons and students who wanted to skip class would be able to hang out with them. It was very difficult to determine who had release periods and who did not.”
Currently, students with fourth or eighth period releases are recorded in the attendance system. Students scan their school ID to enter the Lecture Hall if remaining on campus, allowing the school to maintain order and accountability.
“We have amazing kids at CHS and we are so proud of how they have adjusted to this new system,” Smith-Bothun said.
When the release ends, students are able to go home on the bus, or wait for their parents to come and pick them up.
However, many students remaining in the Lecture Hall struggle to embrace the new system as it restricts them from spaces in the school to work, such as the CHS Library.
“I really like working in the library or working in the pit,” junior Anoushka Sharma said. “I’m more of an introvert person as well so I like to be by myself and I like the space to do my work.”
Since students are not permitted to roam around campus during their release, juniors and seniors prefer to go to teachers’ classrooms only for specific purposes, such as tutoring sessions or to make up missed tests and assignments. Unless they have a pass, students can not go anywhere else.
“It blocks students’ way of managing their time wisely,” senior Aahana Behera said. “I am in choir and I am not allowed to go to the choir room to practice music because I have to stay in the Lecture Hall and it does not give me the time I need.”
Due to the limited space and a high concentration of students, some students struggle to work in the Lecture Hall.
“I feel like I have less freedom and I can’t work productively,” Sharma said. “I got a release period specifically so that I can do homework. Now that I’m in an area where I feel unproductive, it makes it harder for me to get work done. Being around so many people in a small area isn’t fun.”
While many students feel resistant to the new idea, some teachers see a more positive view of the change.
“I think it’s best to have a dedicated location for students to go to during their release period,” engineering teacher Carl Reese said. “By centralizing the students in the Lecture Hall, it helps to control the chances of distractions. Because of this new system, teachers may find it easier to focus on lessons rather than being distracted.”
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