Ever felt rushed after class? After the first period, does it feel like it’s just class after class with the tiniest lunch break in between? Ever had to rush from end to end of the building?  A longer passing period could easily destroy the rush and the traffic in the hallway. 

I think the main solution to attempt to fix the issue is to extend the passing periods. For one, six minutes to travel around the school and with the chance one class is on the other end of the building, pushes students to rush to class. As well as the huge enforcement for being tardy, the short window to get to class stresses students even more.  With a longer passing period, such as eight to ten minutes, students could flow through the hallways without feeling the need to rush so they can have a breather from their last lengthy class. According to the students I asked, most said a longer passing period will help reduce the stress of having to bounce from class to class. 

With short passing periods and a short lunch, most students don’t ever have the feeling of being rushed off of their backs. Research has shown that breaks are healthy for the brain. If the administration and staff want students to succeed, having a clear mind most of the day is crucial.

With this new enforcement of tardiness and unexcused absences at Smoky, it adds more and more stress to students. Especially if a student has back-to-back classes on both ends of the school. In my opinion, the administration needs to think about what’s more important, being late or being stressed each day. 

If a longer passing period could help students succeed in the long run, it would be beneficial for the entire school. The administration needs to realize that pent-up stress is not good for growing teenage minds and does not bring the best potential for learning.