Suggested remedies for hallway confusion

Students are allotted six minutes of a passing period to get from one classroom to another. With the mix of students in different grade levels rushing to get from one side of the school to the other it is very difficult to maneuver around the school. Not to mention students walk around in a riot blockade stopping the majority of traffic flow through the hallways.

There are also groups of students and staff who stop and talk in the most inconvenient places where no one can get around them to get to their destination in a timely manner. For example, there is always a mosh pit of people who stand in front of the bank and security office as well as a group of people who stand in main east and west hallways by the restrooms.

“My classroom consists of two actual walls, a hallway, and a half wall that looks out into the main west hallway. Passing periods are a literal nightmare for me because students think they can stand in the hallway or in my class and cuss up a storm and block up the traffic flow, which is coming from both sides, and I cannot handle it sometimes” said Ag teacher Megan VanGordon.   “The amount of times I have to say ‘get to class’ or ‘get out of my classroom’ or ‘stop blocking up the hallway’ a day is ridiculous.”

In a fairly productive discussion with friends, we devised a dream traffic-flow plan.  The main east and west hallways should be like a road; traffic headed north should be on or east side of the hallway, and traffic going south should be on the west side of the hallway. The same goes for the main hallway on the backside of the auditorium. There are two lounges in either main hallway where students are allowed to sit. The small hallways on either side of the building should only be one way. The east small hallway should have traffic flow going south where as the west small hall should have flow going north. I believe this tips should help congestion in the halls of the high school.  Again, just a dream, but wouldn’t it be fun to try?

Candace LeDuc
Students scatter across the halls to visit and travel between class periods.