Changes Come to Harding

Recently there have been some changes here at Harding, such as student drop-off and pick-up, and many are asking, “Why?”

Prior to the change of drop-off guidelines, there were some issues that lay within the old drop-off system. Many students were arriving to school late due to traffic issues in the front loop, which resulted in partial days unexcused for students, leading to minutes being counted against a student's minutes/hours in the school building.

Head principal of Harding, Ms. Musbach, expressed another concern being the safety of the students. Now, instead of students entering from two different places, students enter through the student parking lot doors in the back of the building. Musbach says, “By having students enter in one entrance, we can…ensure the safety of students.”

Doors now open at 7:15am to better traffic flow in the student parking lot.

Musbach says this has made some positive changes in the aspect of morning traffic, but that there have been frustrations from students and staff who park in the student lot, as the increase in traffic there has made it more dangerous to walk from a car to the building.

Saturday school is a result of student tardiness and absences in the mornings. With so many students missing class, there have been many missing assignments and students have been assigned detention as a result. But Saturday school has been assigned to students more consistently missing class, or not showing up to in-school detention.

Saturday school is basically a long detention, lasting from 9:00am to 12:00pm about two times a month. Phones are strictly prohibited, and students work on any homework or missing assignments. If they are finished with all their schoolwork, staff members on duty will find jobs for them to do throughout the school, like sweeping the gym floor, cleaning the bleachers, and other small services.

Another change at Harding High School is faculty members

posted at bathrooms during bell transitions. In the past, students have been skipping part or all of classes because they’ve hung out in the bathroom talking to friend

s, on their phones, or vaping. There has also been destruction in some bathrooms in the past, which has not happened since coming back from winter break. Since the institution of staff members at bathrooms, Musbach says there have been far fewer reports of vaping. “I think we’re saving students’ lives,” she expresses.