E-hallpass brings new meaning to leaving classroom

There I am, walking to the bathroom with… my iPad. Now what? The e-hallpass was introduced the spring of of 2015 to be piloted to all Central students. The purpose of this was to eliminate paper and to be more innovative with signing students in and out of class. To access the pass, you choose your current location, teacher and where you would like to go. Then the teacher types in a pincode to confirm that you are leaving, and a timer begins. From the time you leave to the time your teacher signs you back in, you are timed. This way you can be monitored precisely in case of emergencies. When we had planners, we were limited on all of our hall passes. But now with the e-hallpass no one is limited on amount of passes. So back to me walking to the bathroom with my iPad, I walk into the bathroom and I’m not really sure what to do with it. Should I just slide it over on the bathroom floor? Leave it on the sink? Once I made it back to class, I had to awkwardly ask my teacher in the middle of his lecture to sign me back in. Frustrated, he tried to signed me back in but it froze. We wasted about two minutes standing there trying to sign me back in. Finally, I was signed back into the class and I took my seat. The next day I walked into class, my teacher wasn’t present but we had a substitute. She said I had to go to guidance for an appointment. I filled out my E-Hallpass and had to interrupt class yet again. Of course the sub didn’t know the teachers pin code. So she just sent me on my way. The whole walk down to guidance I just thought what if I get caught without my pass filled out?” Luckily, I made it. Although this new pass is pretty cool, we miss the old fashion sign out sheet. We are in high school now, monitoring us to the second does nothing but make me feel like I’m back in elementary school. Sometimes the “old fashion way” is the best way. I can be a lot more efficient just signing out on a clipboard and taking a pass. There I am in class, I raise my hand, ask to use the bathroom and my teacher says “okay sign out”. I quietly get up, head over to the door and fill out the paper on the clipboard. I leave and come back with no disruption of class. My teacher didn’t have to stop his lecture for more than five seconds just to say “sign out”. This is the way that seems to make the most sense to the student body. Change isn’t always necessary when the “old way” works better than the new way. It’s cool that we want to be innovative, but changing something as basic as a hall pass is unnecessary.

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