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With what kids have noticed at bms is that some teachers that are giving detentions to at least 10 to 15 students a day. Then the students are getting mad because they are losing their social time with their friends.
When the kids lose their social time they tend to talk in their next class. This then causes teacher gets mad because they have told the students to be quiet multiple times and they don’t stop talking. Sometimes the student will get another lunch detention the next day causing them to be even more mad.
Students are getting detentions for not having homework done when the teacher should give the student the da to get it done or the next day have a 30 minute lunch detention. But instead the teachers give them a lunch detention and the student gets mad because they are losing their social hour just to come into finish maybe 2 or 3 problems. WHen they could have simply done it at home.
Many individuals in Bartels Middle School believe that a bathroom should be installed in the hallway that the seventh-grade classes are in.
When surveyed, all of those that were interviewed said that they felt there should be one. This statistic is because there is one pair of boys and girls bathrooms in each of the hallways except the seventh-grade hallway.
However, if we could install a bathroom in that hallway then we’ve been living in a fantasy because of the difficulty of installing a bathroom in an already standing building. There would have to be a good deal of construction done and resourced obtained. In the end, all of these factors would lead to a very expensive project.
In conclusion, although many within the school, including the principal himself, believe there should be a bathroom in the seventh-grade hallway, it could be very difficult and rather expensive.
Have you ever wondered why schools don’t allow students to have their phones? Or why some schools allow their students to go on their phones? Well this journalist interviewed many students and the principal at Bartels Middle School yo find out if students should or shouldn’t have their phones.
Other schools around the area allow their students have their phones, but some students are wondering why their school has to be any different.
The policy at BMS is “ Cell phones shall be turned off and kept in the students lockers at all times.”
“Phones would be very distracting for the students.” stated Mr. Rueth. He also mentioned that BMS makes exceptions to the phone policy. Such as Students with a health condition and may have to track their stats on their phones. Even some classes have their phones for a project. He mentioned Art class or some math classes use them as resources.
The 8th graders that the journalist interviewed said that the computers give the same resources as a phone. But a student without their phone is like surviving 10 minutes without breathing. #1stWorldProblems
Overall, there are two different sides to a story. Shall phones be kept in the lockers. Or do students deserve to be allowed on their phones? Each side is valid. But in this cause the policy won’t be changing.
At Bartel’s Middle School, students can be seen with both clear and solid water bottles. There is an abundance of clear bottles, and only a few solid ones. The reason? The water bottle policy at BMS states that students can only bring clear water bottles. This policy is in place to keep students from sneaking in unwanted substances, such as alcohol or soda, to school.
The policy was put in place 3 years ago, when a student tried to bring alcohol to school. It has recently become more heavily enforced now that Hydroflasks (metal water bottles) have become popular, with lots of students attempting to bring them to their classes.
Some teachers do allow solid water bottles in their classrooms, but most do not. Students will usually be told to put the water bottle away in their locker if they bring it to class. After this occurs, the student will most likely stop bringing their solid water to school, or at least to their classes. Solid water bottles are allowed in classrooms if they are brought in by a teacher.
There is also a problem with accessing clear water bottles. The BMS office sells them for $2 a piece. They are made of plastic and there are reports of them breaking easily. They all look the same, which can cause confusion if a lot of students have them. That leads to them getting lost, which has happened many times. Sometimes for students without a water bottle it can feel like they are parched in the desert, with the nearest water miles away.
A few interviewed 8th grade BMS students had the idea that the office could give away clear water bottles for free. That way, they wouldn’t have to worry about the cost.
Out of all the interviewed students, two said that they didn’t want the policy to be changed. Checking water bottles was something some students seemed open to, while others were concerned about students not having access to clear bottles.
The students responses to the question “Why do you think BMS has this policy?” were all essentially saying the same thing: because students will try to bring in things other than water.
Although the school wants students to have clear water bottles so they can see what is inside, an interviewed student pointed out that kids could bring in vodka, gin, or sprite, which are all clear and could be mistaken for water. Another student said that if someone brings in a substance other than water they are likely to tell their friends, and teachers will find out by the whispers among them.
In the overall interview results, all of the students wanted the rule modified in some way. A student commented that the policy isn’t fair to the many students who would only bring in water, and that if there is an issue with someone bringing things other the staff could just take their water bottle away instead of placing a rule on the entire school.
County/government buildings, stores, some schools, and airports. What do all of these places have in common? They all have metal detectors. Now, let’s zoom in on the school part. Why only some? Why not all? Are they useful? These are some of the questions we will be answering.
Part of the reason schools don’t have metal detectors, this journalist found out, is that they cost too much money. When interviewed, the teachers at Wayne E. Bartels Middle School said that if they did get metal detectors, they would be a lot of the school budget. The teachers also said that they wouldn’t have as much money to replace school supplies. So, at least partially, cost is a reason schools don’t have metal detectors.
Another reason schools don’t have metal detectors is reason. When asked, the interviewed teachers said that all times that they had seen a weapon in school, it was a knife. Finding a knife is like trying to find a missing lego. Also, the teachers also said that it wasn’t that much, so really, are metal detectors need in schools? That’s the question I leave you with.
At Bartels Middle School some students complain about different problems. One of these problems is time in between classes. As of right now students are given 3 minutes in between each class. Some students find it hard to prepare for their next class in the little time that they are given. After interviewing a few students from BMS, this reporter found that lots of elective classes are on the total opposite side of the building and trying to get to an elective class in 3 minutes is like trying to catch a fish with no bait.
When you are marked tardy at BMS, there are different consequences that can follow. Students told this reporter that these consequences included detentions, responsibility slips, and loss of after school privileges. One student told this reporter that they were asked to stay after class which caused them to be tardy for their next class. Another student claimed that they were late to one class and were told that if this were to continue, after school privileges would be taken away for a week.
Since students are only given 3 minutes in between classes, students say that there are many limitations. In between each class, students told this reporter that they have to go to their locker to get their materials for their next class. Many students said that they usually don't have time to go to the bathroom or get a drink. The students that choose to go to the bathroom will most likely arrive after the three minute bell.
Students from BMS claim that should get more time in between classes. They believe that this would help them get to far away classes and to use the bathroom if they need to. The students claimed that they wanted 4-7 minutes in between each class. Although this is a popular opinion among the students, teachers think differently. One teacher said that the longer the passing periods are the less time that they get to teach.
It appears that there is no easy way in deciding how many minutes that students are allowed during passing time. The students would like to have more time in between classes when others have different ideas. This reporter is not sure how many minutes should be in between class periods for the students at BMS.
Not having access to feminine products is like not having access to clean clothes. The importance of feminine products in the restrooms are so that females can protect themselves during their menstrual cycle. And for proper hygiene.
75% of the ladies said that they need a product when they start in school or forgotten to bring some/run out. 50% of them say they use tampons more than pads. One lady said, “Depending on the class it can be embarrassing to ask for a product.” While interviewing the principal, he said, “That he wasn’t aware that there is no products in the restrooms. But they have some in the office.”
If you were to have a ‘leak’ you wouldn’t want to go to the office, but use a product right away.
At Bartels Middle School, phones have to stay in lockers during school hours. Students are allowed to use them before and after school, but rarely ever during school. BMS has consequences if a student were to get caught using their devices. The student would have to put it away and may receive a detention. Is keeping cell-phones put away beneficial for students learning or should students be able to use their phones throughout the day?
The Bartels Middle School handbook states that “cell-phones shall be turned off and kept out of sight at all times”. The only time students are permitted to use their phones is if there is an emergency. However, they have permission from a teacher or the principal.
Many students disagree with this policy. They say that being able to use their phones throughout the day would make them want to use their phone a lot less. Many argue and say that if they were able to use their phones during class then they wouldn’t, even if they had the urge to.
While this sounds like a great idea, there are still many flaws. Students could very easily abuse these ideas. Although most students will follow the rules, there will still be some that attempt to use their phones during class. There is also a risk of students using their phone to cheat or doing inappropriate things on their phones. For some, having to say goodbye to their phone for eight hours is like saying goodbye to a family member that they won’t see for a week.
There are some pros involving the cell-phone policy. Students stay off their phones throughout the day and are able to focus on work and not distract others with their devices. While some teachers think phones are a distraction, some don’t mind them if they are shut off. They don’t want students using them while they’re teaching but they don’t mind if the student has their phone on them.
Overall, most students disagree with the Bartels Middle School current cell-phone policy. They would love to be able to use their phones during lunch and in the halls. On the other hand, most teachers like the cell-phone policy. Do you agree with the cell-phone policy?
For all grades at BMS Middle School there are always kids who need help or materials to help get work done. For those students they’ll most likely have homework everyday.
Students were heard in hallways mentioning how they needed a time during school used as a free period. An advisory period would increase the overall grades and average scores for the school as a whole.
Especially sixth and seventh graders are drowning in their homework as they stated during an interview. The students thought if they had a time dedicated to talking to teachers about assignments, as well as being able to use school resources during this time they believed both their grades and amount of missing work could be limited.
Some staff members also mentioned that they agreed that student’s missing work can be limited and grades could improve with an advisory period. Those teachers interviewed mentioned that they would be willing to open up their time and materials to help students.
However a downside was also mentioned about having an advisory. Such as if that time would be taken advantage of. There would be the kids who would talk to friends or mess around. But that would be on the students if they would choose not to complete any work. There is a way to prevent that with a simple easy fix. With having the appropriate supervision.
Though kids who had lower grades were heard to of been talking about how with an advisory now all students would have an equal chance to decrease the amount of homework and questions whether or not they had a study hall or not. But would this fix be as easy as the A,B,C’s?
Year round school. Either you love it, or you hate. Year round school is the format of a school year where there is no summer vacation. Even without the long break, some schools have opted to adopt this school schedule.
Year round school can be formatted in many different ways. Schools can choose to be in school for five weeks with weekends every week and then have two weeks of vacation. Or, six weeks of school followed by three weeks of no school. Finally, schools have the option to have seven weeks of school before a four week vacation.
Some students say this schedule would be horrible at Bartels for many reasons. Questions arose like, “When will students change from 6th to 7th grade? 7th to 8th grade and so on? Year round schools usually change the grade of their students around the same time we do, in September. Some schools though, switch grades after the new year.
“What if you had to go to school on the winter holidays?” you might be asking yourself. Well, almost all schools fit their schedules around this issue, they just make sure that holidays fall on the weeks when there are no school.
Other students are all for this schedule because they claim to be bored towards the end of summer break. They argue that year round school would be great because they get the same number of days without school, just not all in a row. This way kids can stay socialized all through the year. Because teens not socializing for three months, is the equivalent of teens being isolated in a jungle for an eternity.
All in all, year round school is an option for all schools. It may have its pros and cons but is definitely an option that all schools should consider.
In the past few years, Wayne E. Bartels Middle School administration has become increasingly more strict about their water bottle policy towards the students. After interviewing six of the 8th graders, this reporter found that it wasn’t exactly an upsetting topic, more of a disappointing one and the solutions may be minimal.
The school policy states that students can only have water in a clear bottle, but this expectation may be hard to meet for some. In most of the interviews, students claimed that they don’t bring a water bottle to school daily but they would like to. The reason they don’t is that they simply don’t own a clear water bottle and aren’t interested in getting one.
It’s upsetting to some and might not make sense, but it is said by teachers that they want the students drinking healthy beverages and giving students their own decision could have risks. Another possible problem that could occur with this freedom would be that if their drink spilled, depending on what it was, could stain or ruin school property.
Not too long ago, the situation was addressed by the principal and other staff members by selling $2.00 clear plastic water bottles in the office. Although many students bought them in the beginning and it was a good effort, the students still see it as an issue. When asked about these specific water bottles, students described them as “easily breakable” “leaky” “extremely cheap” “hard to tell apart” and “not dishwasher safe”. Some may even say they break as easily as the led on your pencil! The problem is, if the students are still unsatisfied, how much more can be done?
It was stated by some students that they believe kids would stay more hydrated if this policy wasn’t required by the school. That possibly could be true, but the Portage Community School District website has a section based on hydration to educate and encourage it, so the argument goes both ways.
Overall, not too many lives are affected by this currently, and there are plenty of ways around it if the students are flexible.
Students at Bartels Middle School are always complaining about the size and spacing of the lockers. They complain about the size of the lockers, the little spacing in between them, and the number of things you can fit in them.
When asked the questions about if they were organized and how hard it was to fit things into the lockers, the majority of students with less struggle were more organized. There were some exceptions though. Such as how many things they had and how much space those things took up.
There was also the question of if lockers should disappear altogether? Students at BMS said that it could be a good idea, but then their phone policy would no longer be in place. That is because most if not all students put their phones in their lockers when classes are in session. If phones are not in lockers then it will become a difficult class time for both teachers and students.
When asked should there be more spacing between lockers, or making the lockers bigger, the majority said “ Yes, because it’s hard to get in when someone else next to you has to get in as well,” or “ The things in the lockers is too big or hard to fit in and it is a hassle to get in and out in the 3 minutes we get. It is like putting a Jenga block on the top of the tower.
Some students are just the opposite. They are happy with the lockers as they are. They say that the lockers are a perfect size. One student said, “The lockers are a perfect size because you can fit everything in them.”
Students in 7th grade tend to mature when they transition into 8th, but they also might get more stressed and act out more. Because of this some kids end up receiving more detentions than others.For the kids who receive more detentions it feels like walking onto a stage with hundreds of people staring at you. The question is do these students serve these detentions for appropriate reasons or for absurd reasons?
Some Bartels Middle school students are struggling with social skills because they have to serve lunch detentions, and lunch is a time when kids get to talk and socialize. Some people think that teachers use detentions too much for silly reasons but other teachers use them for good causes and they are useful.
There was a 6th grade student at Bartels Middle School, who got three detentions, and she didn’t believe that she deserved some of them. For one, she didn’t plug her chromebook in but it was already charged and she still got in trouble for it. Her second one was for being late to a lass, but she was late because she was talking to a teacher in the hallway. Last but not least, she forgot her Wonder book but she believes this detention was a lot more reasonable.
This reporter noticed that when they interviewed a parent the parent said that the think when teachers are having a bad day they seem to use detention too much. Kind of like they try to overpower the students and overstep their boundaries. The same parent also believes that detentions are a good and useful punishment if they are given for the right reasons.
When this reporter asked a person who used to go to BMS if they thought detentions were an issue they said, “Yes Ibelieve that detentions were an issue at BMS I don’t know if they still are a problem. As a previous student at Bms, I got a few detentions because of absurd reasons.”
As this reporter interviewed multiple different people, they found that many people have various amounts of opinions and beliefs about Bartels Middle school detentions. Some think that its and issue but others believe that it’s a perfectly fine punishment if the are given out because they were deserved.
Not only did they realize all the different opinions also noticed that the kids who pay more attention and hand their work in on time et less detetions than the kids who talk and turn in late work. Do you think detentions are an issue at BMS?
There is one very big jump that elementary students take while going into middle school. One of these big jumps is passing time in between classes.
At BMS, all of the students get three minutes of passing time between classes. This is a much talked about issue at BMS right now. It is such a big issue because a lot of the students are continuously late to their classes. This journalist has interviewed some 8th grade students about this topic. One even said that getting to class on time is like trying to walk on water.
One common thing that was found was that going to the restroom made most of the students late to their class. These students said that some of their teachers won’t let them use the restroom during class so they have to go during passing time. One teacher was also interviewed confirming that they don’t want their students to leave their classroom in the middle of a lesson. The teacher said they don’t want their students to miss important information that is being taught.
Another issue with passing time is the consequences that go along with being late to class. One common thing that was found was that teachers almost always give two warnings before doing anything else. The first two times this happens, the teachers expect that the student figures out a new plan on getting to class on time. One of these ways could be not stopping to talk to your friends. The next thing they do if they are late more than once is they give the student a ten minute lunch detention. By this time, the teachers might have to talk to the students about how they can be on time.
Almost all of the eight grade students that were interviewed have been late to class at least one time. One reason they were late was because they had a class on the other side of the school. The students said they were late because they needed to get binders and other things from their lockers. Due to this, they have gotten detentions because of it.
All in all, passing time in BMS has been a huge issue. The teachers can’t teach right away if there are still students walking in after the bell. Also the students can’t learn about important things if they are late to class.
Lately, there has been a hot topic at Wayne E. Bartels Middle School that has been getting a lot of attention. Students want the phone policy to be changed. A student’s life without a phone is like drinking spoiled milk. The current policy is student’s phones can’t be anywhere but their lockers. We have interviewed many students who are directly affected.
One main argument that the students have presented is that they will feel safer in school if they have it on them. Every student interviewed claimed that they would feel safer if they had their phone on them at all times. Most of the students said they would feel safer because they call the police and/or parents in an emergency. One of the students said they didn’t want it stolen. Although students claim they would feel safer teachers think otherwise. One teacher that was questioned said, “The students would probably not feel safer.” The principle at the school even says, “Schools have never been safer.”
Even though every student wanted the phone policy to change, they all agreed on one thing, things would get out of hand. All of the students thought that adding phones to an everyday school routine would be a major distraction. “Kids would act chaotically if allowed to use their phone.” Alyssa Anderson said.
The administrators will not be considering a change currently, but may if students complain enough.
Currently, students at BMS have three minutes to get to class. Based on interviews with 8th grade students, this reporter finds that many students are struggling to get to class on time without being late.
Students who have classes that are on different sides of the school are having the most trouble making it to class before the bell rings. One BMS student in particular told this reporter that she has band on one side of the school, then she has to make it to her locker and then finally make it to english. She says hat during her three minutes of passing time she has to put away her instrument, and then rush down the hall to her locker and finally make it to class. She is rushed everyday, and has been late to class four times this year. She probably feels like getting to class on time is just as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.
Other students report not having enough time to go to the bathroom and get a drink during passing time, so they have to do it during class. This makes teachers and students unhappy. Some teachers don’t like it because it interrupts their teaching and takes away from the student’s learning time. Some students don’t like it because they have less time to learn, and they are confused when they get back due to being gone for only a few minutes.
When a student is late to class at BMS, they get in trouble. If the student is lucky they receive a verbal warning and a tardy in the gradebook. However, if they are not so lucky they could receive a detention of even a responsibility slip.
Different teachers have different opinions on how long passing time should be. Some think they should give students an extra minute or two to make it to class. This would ensure that they have enough time to go to the bathroom, go to their locker, get a drink and get to their class on time. Others think we should keep the three minutes of passing time because if we add extra time there would be less time for learning in classes. Some teachers are neutral and have no opinion about how long the passing time should be.
What would happen if we add minutes to passing time? First, it would make it easier for students to get to all of their classes on time, and give them time to take care of their bodies’ basic needs. But, it would also make classes shorter and take away from learning time which may lead to a longer school day. However, some students may abuse this passing time and use it to talk to their friends and still not make it to class on time.
All in all, students are struggling to get to class on time. This is because the only time to use the restroom and get a drink is during passing time. Some teachers won’t let them go during class. During their three minutes of passing time a student who has classes on opposite sides of the building would need to rush from one class to their locker and then back to their next class. This can be challenging for a middle schooler. 6th graders probably feel lost, and like it is impossible to get to class in three minutes, because they don’t know the building. However, adding time would leave less time for learning in classes.
This leaves lots to think about, but there may not actually be a foolproof solution to students not making it to class on time.
The school bus is a quick and easy way to get to and from school. Approximately 26 million students use the school bus as a way to get around in the morning and afternoon. The school bus also saves around 346.6 million daily miles around the U.S that parents use to get their children to school.
You have to be saying to yourself “what parents wouldn't want their children riding the bus to and from school. However for all the good sides of topics there are also bad sides. One of the bad things on the bus is that 11 percent of students that ride the bus get bullied while they ride home.They might feel like they are in an endless hole of judgment and hate. Another bad thing about busses is that most of them do not seatbelts. That means if you get in a car accident on the bus you have a higher risk of severe injury.
There are many different types of people with many different experiences with school buses. A reporter from Portage Wisconsin Interviewed four people from BMS. They asked them questions like “what are your thoughts on school buses”. All of the people that got interviewed said that students act differently on the bus then at school. By that they said that students curse and misbehave way more than at school.
All four people also said that one rule they would add or change is more adult supervision on the students so they would behave better and set a better example for the younger students. One of the people said that “The older kids like the eight graders and all of the highschoolers need to behave because you are like a superman to the elementary students. Whatever you do they will do someday. That is why it’s so important to behave on the bus.
It seems like there will be no solutions to the bus problems for a good amount of time, and good things will also be furthered. However, buses also make sure that getting home safely from school is a reality.
What do you believe? Phones, or no phones? At Wayne E. Bartels Middle School, the current phone policy is, “Cell phones shall be turned off and kept in students lockers at all times.” The students in this school that have been surveyed have said that they believe phones should be allowed to be carried in pockets. But, do their teachers and authorities agree? Also, what could this policy affect?
Teachers there have said that they believe that phones should stay in lockers or pockets during the school day. Phones shouldn’t be used in class, responded both surveyed teachers and students.
One authority of the Bartels Middle School believes that phones should stay in the lockers all day. They believe it results in less distraction and, test scores and student success would not improve with the usage of phones.
Though there are multiple reasons certain students and teachers feel the way they do, there were two most common replies. Some students have surveyed that they believe they would feel safer, and some kids have already distracted themselves with chromebooks.
Students have reported that they would feel safer if they could have a phone on them. This would be an instant connection with family and 911. Also, some students are playing games in class on their chromebooks already. This is like a sponge without water. The students aren’t soaking up any knowledge when playing games on their chromes, students have reported.
Therefore, students believe learning wouldn’t be affected by having a phone on students. The views of select students and teachers may be different than authorities of the school.
Authorities of the school feel understanding of these safety views, but also knowing that teachers have phones on them at all times. They believe this gives an instant connection with 911 in a dangerous situation.
There is not a right or wrong solution to these views. But students, teachers, and authorities of the school may have conflictions and similar views on this situation.
The current policy at Bartels Middle School for feminine products in the bathrooms, is that none are provided for the girls. Many schools don’t provide feminine hygiene products in the bathrooms. Reachsearch shows that girls are getting their periods earlier than girls did decades ago. Also, some girls don’t have enough money to pay for tampons and/or pads, even if there is a machine available.
The reason that there aren’t any feminine products are because the company that supplied them went out of business. Because of this, some girls don’t go to school while they’re on their period or if they suspect it is coming in fear of getting it during school. Also, the fact that cramps can be very painful for some girls. Some girls aren’t comfortable asking teachers for feminine products, especially if it is a male teacher they’re asking.
One girl that was interviewed said that it would be easier to stay home because she has feminine products at her disposal. The same girls said that she would only ask for feminine hygiene products, if it was her last resort. While another girl said that it would be easier to go to school because she is thinking about something other than her period.
The second girl also said that she is completely comfortable asking teachers for feminine products. The first girl said that on a scale of one to ten of how painful her period is, she says, “2 or 3, maybe 4 when having cramps.” While the second girl said that her period was a, “8 or 9” on the same pain scale, because of her cramps. Sme girls also call their periods “Satan” or the “Red Waterfall”.
Even though both girls are incredibly different, for one question they both had the same answer for the first question asked. How often do you find feminine hygiene products in the schools bathrooms? To which they both answered, “Never.” One of the reasons why girls dislike their periods so much is because during school there aren’t any products available for them.
Currently, students at BMS have three minutes to get to class. Based on interviews with 8th grade students, this reporter finds that many students are struggling to get to class on time without being late.
Students who have classes that are on different sides of the school are having the most trouble making it to class before the bell rings. One BMS student in particular told this reporter that she has band on one side of the school, then she has to make it to her locker and then finally make it to english. She says hat during her three minutes of passing time she has to put away her instrument, and then rush down the hall to her locker and finally make it to class. She is rushed everyday, and has been late to class four times this year. She probably feels like getting to class on time is just as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.
Other students report not having enough time to go to the bathroom and get a drink during passing time, so they have to do it during class. This makes teachers and students unhappy. Some teachers don’t like it because it interrupts their teaching and takes away from the student’s learning time. Some students don’t like it because they have less time to learn, and they are confused when they get back due to being gone for only a few minutes.
When a student is late to class at BMS, they get in trouble. If the student is lucky they receive a verbal warning and a tardy in the gradebook. However, if they are not so lucky they could receive a detention of even a responsibility slip.
Different teachers have different opinions on how long passing time should be. Some think they should give students an extra minute or two to make it to class. This would ensure that they have enough time to go to the bathroom, go to their locker, get a drink and get to their class on time. Others think we should keep the three minutes of passing time because if we add extra time there would be less time for learning in classes. Some teachers are neutral and have no opinion about how long the passing time should be.
What would happen if we add minutes to passing time? First, it would make it easier for students to get to all of their classes on time, and give them time to take care of their bodies’ basic needs. But, it would also make classes shorter and take away from learning time which may lead to a longer school day. However, some students may abuse this passing time and use it to talk to their friends and still not make it to class on time.
All in all, students are struggling to get to class on time. This is because the only time to use the restroom and get a drink is during passing time. Some teachers won’t let them go during class. During their three minutes of passing time a student who has classes on opposite sides of the building would need to rush from one class to their locker and then back to their next class. This can be challenging for a middle schooler. 6th graders probably feel lost, and like it is impossible to get to class in three minutes, because they don’t know the building. However, adding time would leave less time for learning in classes.
This leaves lots to think about, but there may not actually be a foolproof solution to students not making it to class on time.
At BMS the bathrooms are all lacking in the feminine products department. Many middle school girls have reached that time in their life when they require those products. Sure, they could go to an educator but some girls don’t feel comfortable asking one unless they no them well. Why don’t they have any necessary feminine products in the bathrooms?
This reporter has interviewed multiple staff members, including the principle, and had gotten the same response, “I don’t know”. That was until one of the custodians gave them the answer, the company for that type of thing had gone out of business and no longer sells the machines or feminine products that it had. This reporter decided to dig deeper and see if there could be any alternate solutions.
The only suggestion that came up multiple times while interviewing was baskets of feminine products, mounted on the wall, and the honor system. This possible solution could work well. You wouldn’t have to pay for a product and could grab one on your way to the bathroom. Like most good things there are also flaws to this solution, for instance if someone decided to cause a mess by maybe throwing products across the floor. It could easily become a hazard. Maybe there could be another solution?
This reporter’s not sure about any other possible solutions and not many other people were sure either. Many middle school girls had an issue with this fact though and hope for a solution in the near future. It might not be the honor system solution like many students suggested or it might stay how it is currently where they’d have to ask educator. There could be a solution but the students wouldn’t know until they saw it.
There is an easy fix to the missing bathroom in the 7th grade hallway. However, it may cause a few problems in the process of fixing that one problem. The students that were interviewed had a lot to say about the bathrooms.
There are currently no bathrooms in the east side hallway of BMS, the 7th grade hallway. An easy fix add another bathroom. There are financial expenses that do cause another problem though. Time is lost in the 7th grade classes and the encore classes that are down this hallway.
The average time of students using the bathroom, with the walking distance is about 4-5 minutes. The classrooms down this hall have to walk to the 8th grade bathroom which is on the opposite side of the school.
The 8th grade classes don’t have to walk as far. They have 2 bathrooms in their halls. The average amount of time is 2-3 minutes for the 8th graders. This is a shorter amount verses the 7th graders. Teachers from 7th grade say that students often wander in the halls and they use the distance to the bathroom as an excuse for taking a long time. Majority of students said that they wish they had a bathroom in the 7th grade hall. However, some disagree. A student at BMS that goes by the name Ezra said, “...So it would’ve been a little bit more convenient I suppose but I could care less if they actually installed one or not.”
In BMS, they have 3 minutes to do everything they need to do. Trying to go to your locker, go to the bathroom, and get back to class on time is like trying to sprint with bowling balls on your feet. With the bathroom far away, it is more difficult to get there and back in time. Students have said that the halls are always busy too, and it’s too crowded down the 8th grade hall. Some students even said that they don’t even try to go to the bathroom because of this issue.
Teachers also struggle with not having a bathroom nearby. A few say they can’t go to the bathroom because they don’t trust students to be alone. Mr.Mayne, a 7th grade teacher at BMS said, “If they added a bathroom, behavior would improve.” The distractions would occur less when they walk by the office, and the mixing of the grades would stop.
The teachers have trouble with attendance as well. One teacher said they don’t mind kids using the restroom at the beginning of class if they hurry, but another teacher said that they cannot do attendance when some students are in the bathroom.
Out of the students surveyed, most of them knew others that enjoyed the far bathrooms. Some kids even admitted to liking getting out of class themselves. About 45% of the students said they don’t mind the far bathrooms, but the difference in opinion brought up by one student was the gender. Majority of the girls wished there was a bathroom nearby, but most of the boys wanted to take a walk for the bathroom.
This however, is not the main reason for differences in opinions about the bathroom. A reason brought up by a different student at BMS, was that students who care about their grades/about school, wished that there was a bathroom. The students who don’t care as much about school, don’t care if there is a bathroom nearby.
Whether students want one or not, there is going to be a problem caused if a bathroom is installed. An easy fix would be to add a bathroom. The problem is that it would be very expensive.
The BMS building was once the High School. Back then, they didn’t have such a long hallway where the 7th grade is now. They added a few rooms since then, but it took awhile. If they were to add another bathroom, it would be expensive to “drill” a drain and a sewage pipe. Also, they’d have to move some teachers’ rooms or add another two rooms for the girls and boys bathrooms. This will be pricey for the school. The students’ learning is number one. Maybe choosing learning over bathrooms is better. Maybe adding a bathroom to get students’ time better managed is important too.
In order to combat the growing problem of plastic waste in our oceans, Boyan Slat invented a floating barrier. It features a U-shaped design and is two thousand feet long. The barrier was placed in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is essentially a large island made of plastic. It travels by wind and wave propulsion, capturing any plastic that crosses it’s path. The barrier also moves at a speed of about four inches per second to outrun the plastic.
Boyan Slat has also been questioned by critics wanting to know how effective the barrier really is. There are concerns on how it affects marine wildlife and if it distracts from the goal of preventing plastic from entering the ocean.
Plastic pollution is a common issue in today’s society. Studies show that many people have become worried about their plastic usage and are looking to buy eco-friendly products. Seventy-four percent of Americans think the government should do whatever it takes to protect the environment.
Beach cleanups can be seen happening a lot more often. Communities are coming together to clean their local beaches and ocean. “There is satisfaction to say, ‘I removed ten pounds of trash from the beach.’ Even if it’s only ten pounds, that’s ten pounds that isn’t going to go into the ocean.”- Kara Lavender Law.
Humans aren’t the only ones being affected by plastic. Marine animals don’t realize that plastic isn’t food, shelter, or a toy, so it often ends up harming them. Whales, sea turtles, and seabirds all commonly mistake plastic for a meal and end up eating it.
Single-use plastics are another culprit in plastic pollution. Some examples of them are plastic bags, water bottles, straws, cups, and utensils. The reason there's an abundance of this type of plastic is because of how convenient they are.
However, there are steps that can be taken. Consumers can bring reusable bags with them to stores. They can also use a reusable water bottle. Finding solutions for using less plastic in their daily lifestyle is important.
Consumers can also think about the products they are buying. Experts suggest looking for products with minimal packaging that come in something reusable. Products in cardboard packaging are good because it is usually biodegradable and recyclable.The most effective ways to combat plastic pollution are to be a smart buyer and to use less plastic. Small changes can make a big difference.
Not all plastic is bad, but a lot of it is unnecessary. Or, as Stian Alessandro Ekkemes Rossi puts it, “Plastic is good if it’s used smartly, and bad if it’s used poorly.” Plastic doesn’t need to be completely eliminated, it just needs to be put to use in better ways.
The world might never be free from plastic pollution, but society can start doing things now so that the amount of it doesn’t grow. It is up to the human race to determine what the future of the world will look like.
With what kids have noticed at bms is that some teachers that are giving detentions to at least 10 to 15 students a day. Then the students are getting mad because they are losing their social time with their friends.
ReplyDeleteWhen the kids lose their social time they tend to talk in their next class. This then causes teacher gets mad because they have told the students to be quiet multiple times and they don’t stop talking. Sometimes the student will get another lunch detention the next day causing them to be even more mad.
Students are getting detentions for not having homework done when the teacher should give the student the da to get it done or the next day have a 30 minute lunch detention. But instead the teachers give them a lunch detention and the student gets mad because they are losing their social hour just to come into finish maybe 2 or 3 problems. WHen they could have simply done it at home.
Many individuals in Bartels Middle School believe that a bathroom should be installed in the hallway that the seventh-grade classes are in.
ReplyDeleteWhen surveyed, all of those that were interviewed said that they felt there should be one. This statistic is because there is one pair of boys and girls bathrooms in each of the hallways except the seventh-grade hallway.
However, if we could install a bathroom in that hallway then we’ve been living in a fantasy because of the difficulty of installing a bathroom in an already standing building. There would have to be a good deal of construction done and resourced obtained. In the end, all of these factors would lead to a very expensive project.
In conclusion, although many within the school, including the principal himself, believe there should be a bathroom in the seventh-grade hallway, it could be very difficult and rather expensive.
Have you ever wondered why schools don’t allow students to have their phones? Or why some schools allow their students to go on their phones? Well this journalist interviewed many students and the principal at Bartels Middle School yo find out if students should or shouldn’t have their phones.
ReplyDeleteOther schools around the area allow their students have their phones, but some students are wondering why their school has to be any different.
The policy at BMS is “ Cell phones shall be turned off and kept in the students lockers at all times.”
“Phones would be very distracting for the students.” stated Mr. Rueth. He also mentioned that BMS makes exceptions to the phone policy. Such as Students with a health condition and may have to track their stats on their phones. Even some classes have their phones for a project. He mentioned Art class or some math classes use them as resources.
The 8th graders that the journalist interviewed said that the computers give the same resources as a phone. But a student without their phone is like surviving 10 minutes without breathing. #1stWorldProblems
Overall, there are two different sides to a story. Shall phones be kept in the lockers. Or do students deserve to be allowed on their phones? Each side is valid. But in this cause the policy won’t be changing.
I believe your essay really shined a light on an issue at BMS, without using you opinion.
DeleteI like how you hooked you readers.
DeleteYou did a great job not being biest!
DeleteI like your analogy, it's very creative.
DeleteAt Bartel’s Middle School, students can be seen with both clear and solid water bottles. There is an abundance of clear bottles, and only a few solid ones. The reason? The water bottle policy at BMS states that students can only bring clear water bottles. This policy is in place to keep students from sneaking in unwanted substances, such as alcohol or soda, to school.
ReplyDeleteThe policy was put in place 3 years ago, when a student tried to bring alcohol to school. It has recently become more heavily enforced now that Hydroflasks (metal water bottles) have become popular, with lots of students attempting to bring them to their classes.
Some teachers do allow solid water bottles in their classrooms, but most do not. Students will usually be told to put the water bottle away in their locker if they bring it to class. After this occurs, the student will most likely stop bringing their solid water to school, or at least to their classes. Solid water bottles are allowed in classrooms if they are brought in by a teacher.
There is also a problem with accessing clear water bottles. The BMS office sells them for $2 a piece. They are made of plastic and there are reports of them breaking easily. They all look the same, which can cause confusion if a lot of students have them. That leads to them getting lost, which has happened many times. Sometimes for students without a water bottle it can feel like they are parched in the desert, with the nearest water miles away.
A few interviewed 8th grade BMS students had the idea that the office could give away clear water bottles for free. That way, they wouldn’t have to worry about the cost.
Out of all the interviewed students, two said that they didn’t want the policy to be changed. Checking water bottles was something some students seemed open to, while others were concerned about students not having access to clear bottles.
The students responses to the question “Why do you think BMS has this policy?” were all essentially saying the same thing: because students will try to bring in things other than water.
Although the school wants students to have clear water bottles so they can see what is inside, an interviewed student pointed out that kids could bring in vodka, gin, or sprite, which are all clear and could be mistaken for water. Another student said that if someone brings in a substance other than water they are likely to tell their friends, and teachers will find out by the whispers among them.
In the overall interview results, all of the students wanted the rule modified in some way. A student commented that the policy isn’t fair to the many students who would only bring in water, and that if there is an issue with someone bringing things other the staff could just take their water bottle away instead of placing a rule on the entire school.
Nice article, very nice ending.
DeleteI really liked the facts that you stated throughout your article and also supported the facts very well.
DeleteI like your hook. No opinions, just facts. Nice job.
DeleteI like how you mentioned the history of why the rule was made in the first place.
DeleteCounty/government buildings, stores, some schools, and airports. What do all of these places have in common? They all have metal detectors. Now, let’s zoom in on the school part. Why only some? Why not all? Are they useful? These are some of the questions we will be answering.
ReplyDeletePart of the reason schools don’t have metal detectors, this journalist found out, is that they cost too much money. When interviewed, the teachers at Wayne E. Bartels Middle School said that if they did get metal detectors, they would be a lot of the school budget. The teachers also said that they wouldn’t have as much money to replace school supplies. So, at least partially, cost is a reason schools don’t have metal detectors.
Another reason schools don’t have metal detectors is reason. When asked, the interviewed teachers said that all times that they had seen a weapon in school, it was a knife. Finding a knife is like trying to find a missing lego. Also, the teachers also said that it wasn’t that much, so really, are metal detectors need in schools? That’s the question I leave you with.
I really like you introduction, It has a great hook.
DeleteI like you you asked a question as a hook in the beginning.
DeleteI really like how you used great discriptive words.
DeleteI liked that you used questions as hooks.
DeleteAt Bartels Middle School some students complain about different problems. One of these problems is time in between classes. As of right now students are given 3 minutes in between each class. Some students find it hard to prepare for their next class in the little time that they are given. After interviewing a few students from BMS, this reporter found that lots of elective classes are on the total opposite side of the building and trying to get to an elective class in 3 minutes is like trying to catch a fish with no bait.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are marked tardy at BMS, there are different consequences that can follow. Students told this reporter that these consequences included detentions, responsibility slips, and loss of after school privileges. One student told this reporter that they were asked to stay after class which caused them to be tardy for their next class. Another student claimed that they were late to one class and were told that if this were to continue, after school privileges would be taken away for a week.
Since students are only given 3 minutes in between classes, students say that there are many limitations. In between each class, students told this reporter that they have to go to their locker to get their materials for their next class. Many students said that they usually don't have time to go to the bathroom or get a drink. The students that choose to go to the bathroom will most likely arrive after the three minute bell.
Students from BMS claim that should get more time in between classes. They believe that this would help them get to far away classes and to use the bathroom if they need to. The students claimed that they wanted 4-7 minutes in between each class. Although this is a popular opinion among the students, teachers think differently. One teacher said that the longer the passing periods are the less time that they get to teach.
It appears that there is no easy way in deciding how many minutes that students are allowed during passing time. The students would like to have more time in between classes when others have different ideas. This reporter is not sure how many minutes should be in between class periods for the students at BMS.
Nice work Griffin, I like how you used a passive voice in this article.
DeleteI agree with you.
DeleteI like the way you used your figurative language.
DeleteI really liked your simile. Nice Job!
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ReplyDeleteI like the fact that yours uses good figurative language.
DeleteNot having access to feminine products is like not having access to clean clothes. The importance of feminine products in the restrooms are so that females can protect themselves during their menstrual cycle. And for proper hygiene.
ReplyDelete75% of the ladies said that they need a product when they start in school or forgotten to bring some/run out. 50% of them say they use tampons more than pads. One lady said, “Depending on the class it can be embarrassing to ask for a product.” While interviewing the principal, he said, “That he wasn’t aware that there is no products in the restrooms. But they have some in the office.”
If you were to have a ‘leak’ you wouldn’t want to go to the office, but use a product right away.
I like how you used specific statistics from your interviews.
DeleteI like the comparison in the first paragraph.
DeleteAt Bartels Middle School, phones have to stay in lockers during school hours. Students are allowed to use them before and after school, but rarely ever during school. BMS has consequences if a student were to get caught using their devices. The student would have to put it away and may receive a detention. Is keeping cell-phones put away beneficial for students learning or should students be able to use their phones throughout the day?
ReplyDeleteThe Bartels Middle School handbook states that “cell-phones shall be turned off and kept out of sight at all times”. The only time students are permitted to use their phones is if there is an emergency. However, they have permission from a teacher or the principal.
Many students disagree with this policy. They say that being able to use their phones throughout the day would make them want to use their phone a lot less. Many argue and say that if they were able to use their phones during class then they wouldn’t, even if they had the urge to.
While this sounds like a great idea, there are still many flaws. Students could very easily abuse these ideas. Although most students will follow the rules, there will still be some that attempt to use their phones during class. There is also a risk of students using their phone to cheat or doing inappropriate things on their phones. For some, having to say goodbye to their phone for eight hours is like saying goodbye to a family member that they won’t see for a week.
There are some pros involving the cell-phone policy. Students stay off their phones throughout the day and are able to focus on work and not distract others with their devices. While some teachers think phones are a distraction, some don’t mind them if they are shut off. They don’t want students using them while they’re teaching but they don’t mind if the student has their phone on them.
Overall, most students disagree with the Bartels Middle School current cell-phone policy. They would love to be able to use their phones during lunch and in the halls. On the other hand, most teachers like the cell-phone policy. Do you agree with the cell-phone policy?
I like how you told both sides of the story without being bias.
DeleteI really like the figurative language that you added!
DeleteFor all grades at BMS Middle School there are always kids who need help or materials to help get work done. For those students they’ll most likely have homework everyday.
ReplyDeleteStudents were heard in hallways mentioning how they needed a time during school used as a free period. An advisory period would increase the overall grades and average scores for the school as a whole.
Especially sixth and seventh graders are drowning in their homework as they stated during an interview. The students thought if they had a time dedicated to talking to teachers about assignments, as well as being able to use school resources during this time they believed both their grades and amount of missing work could be limited.
Some staff members also mentioned that they agreed that student’s missing work can be limited and grades could improve with an advisory period. Those teachers interviewed mentioned that they would be willing to open up their time and materials to help students.
However a downside was also mentioned about having an advisory. Such as if that time would be taken advantage of. There would be the kids who would talk to friends or mess around. But that would be on the students if they would choose not to complete any work. There is a way to prevent that with a simple easy fix. With having the appropriate supervision.
Though kids who had lower grades were heard to of been talking about how with an advisory now all students would have an equal chance to decrease the amount of homework and questions whether or not they had a study hall or not. But would this fix be as easy as the A,B,C’s?
Very interesting article, I liked your ending.
DeleteI like how you stated drowning in homework, it was a good way to brighten up your work.
DeleteYear round school. Either you love it, or you hate. Year round school is the format of a school year where there is no summer vacation. Even without the long break, some schools have opted to adopt this school schedule.
ReplyDeleteYear round school can be formatted in many different ways. Schools can choose to be in school for five weeks with weekends every week and then have two weeks of vacation. Or, six weeks of school followed by three weeks of no school. Finally, schools have the option to have seven weeks of school before a four week vacation.
Some students say this schedule would be horrible at Bartels for many reasons. Questions arose like, “When will students change from 6th to 7th grade? 7th to 8th grade and so on? Year round schools usually change the grade of their students around the same time we do, in September. Some schools though, switch grades after the new year.
“What if you had to go to school on the winter holidays?” you might be asking yourself. Well, almost all schools fit their schedules around this issue, they just make sure that holidays fall on the weeks when there are no school.
Other students are all for this schedule because they claim to be bored towards the end of summer break. They argue that year round school would be great because they get the same number of days without school, just not all in a row. This way kids can stay socialized all through the year. Because teens not socializing for three months, is the equivalent of teens being isolated in a jungle for an eternity.
All in all, year round school is an option for all schools. It may have its pros and cons but is definitely an option that all schools should consider.
In the past few years, Wayne E. Bartels Middle School administration has become increasingly more strict about their water bottle policy towards the students. After interviewing six of the 8th graders, this reporter found that it wasn’t exactly an upsetting topic, more of a disappointing one and the solutions may be minimal.
ReplyDeleteThe school policy states that students can only have water in a clear bottle, but this expectation may be hard to meet for some. In most of the interviews, students claimed that they don’t bring a water bottle to school daily but they would like to. The reason they don’t is that they simply don’t own a clear water bottle and aren’t interested in getting one.
It’s upsetting to some and might not make sense, but it is said by teachers that they want the students drinking healthy beverages and giving students their own decision could have risks. Another possible problem that could occur with this freedom would be that if their drink spilled, depending on what it was, could stain or ruin school property.
Not too long ago, the situation was addressed by the principal and other staff members by selling $2.00 clear plastic water bottles in the office. Although many students bought them in the beginning and it was a good effort, the students still see it as an issue. When asked about these specific water bottles, students described them as “easily breakable” “leaky” “extremely cheap” “hard to tell apart” and “not dishwasher safe”. Some may even say they break as easily as the led on your pencil! The problem is, if the students are still unsatisfied, how much more can be done?
It was stated by some students that they believe kids would stay more hydrated if this policy wasn’t required by the school. That possibly could be true, but the Portage Community School District website has a section based on hydration to educate and encourage it, so the argument goes both ways.
Overall, not too many lives are affected by this currently, and there are plenty of ways around it if the students are flexible.
I like how you used descriptive words
DeleteI really like the adjectives you used to describe the situation!
DeleteI really liked how you used your Simile!
DeleteBMS Lockers
ReplyDeleteStudents at Bartels Middle School are always complaining about the size and spacing of the lockers. They complain about the size of the lockers, the little spacing in between them, and the number of things you can fit in them.
When asked the questions about if they were organized and how hard it was to fit things into the lockers, the majority of students with less struggle were more organized. There were some exceptions though. Such as how many things they had and how much space those things took up.
There was also the question of if lockers should disappear altogether? Students at BMS said that it could be a good idea, but then their phone policy would no longer be in place. That is because most if not all students put their phones in their lockers when classes are in session. If phones are not in lockers then it will become a difficult class time for both teachers and students.
When asked should there be more spacing between lockers, or making the lockers bigger, the majority said “ Yes, because it’s hard to get in when someone else next to you has to get in as well,” or “ The things in the lockers is too big or hard to fit in and it is a hassle to get in and out in the 3 minutes we get. It is like putting a Jenga block on the top of the tower.
Some students are just the opposite. They are happy with the lockers as they are. They say that the lockers are a perfect size. One student said, “The lockers are a perfect size because you can fit everything in them.”
Will BMS lockers stay or go?
I really like your metaphor comparing jenga and a full locker! It really helped you be able to visualize how small the lockers are.
DeleteStudents in 7th grade tend to mature when they transition into 8th, but they also might get more stressed and act out more. Because of this some kids end up receiving more detentions than others.For the kids who receive more detentions it feels like walking onto a stage with hundreds of people staring at you. The question is do these students serve these detentions for appropriate reasons or for absurd reasons?
ReplyDeleteSome Bartels Middle school students are struggling with social skills because they have to serve lunch detentions, and lunch is a time when kids get to talk and socialize. Some people think that teachers use detentions too much for silly reasons but other teachers use them for good causes and they are useful.
There was a 6th grade student at Bartels Middle School, who got three detentions, and she didn’t believe that she deserved some of them. For one, she didn’t plug her chromebook in but it was already charged and she still got in trouble for it. Her second one was for being late to a lass, but she was late because she was talking to a teacher in the hallway. Last but not least, she forgot her Wonder book but she believes this detention was a lot more reasonable.
This reporter noticed that when they interviewed a parent the parent said that the think when teachers are having a bad day they seem to use detention too much. Kind of like they try to overpower the students and overstep their boundaries. The same parent also believes that detentions are a good and useful punishment if they are given for the right reasons.
When this reporter asked a person who used to go to BMS if they thought detentions were an issue they said, “Yes Ibelieve that detentions were an issue at BMS I don’t know if they still are a problem. As a previous student at Bms, I got a few detentions because of absurd reasons.”
As this reporter interviewed multiple different people, they found that many people have various amounts of opinions and beliefs about Bartels Middle school detentions. Some think that its and issue but others believe that it’s a perfectly fine punishment if the are given out because they were deserved.
Not only did they realize all the different opinions also noticed that the kids who pay more attention and hand their work in on time et less detetions than the kids who talk and turn in late work. Do you think detentions are an issue at BMS?
I really like your article! I like how you used quotes.
DeleteI like how you did not say all 7th graders in the first paragraph.
DeleteI like your introduction, it really hooks you in!
DeleteThere is one very big jump that elementary students take while going into middle school. One of these big jumps is passing time in between classes.
ReplyDeleteAt BMS, all of the students get three minutes of passing time between classes. This is a much talked about issue at BMS right now. It is such a big issue because a lot of the students are continuously late to their classes. This journalist has interviewed some 8th grade students about this topic. One even said that getting to class on time is like trying to walk on water.
One common thing that was found was that going to the restroom made most of the students late to their class. These students said that some of their teachers won’t let them use the restroom during class so they have to go during passing time. One teacher was also interviewed confirming that they don’t want their students to leave their classroom in the middle of a lesson. The teacher said they don’t want their students to miss important information that is being taught.
Another issue with passing time is the consequences that go along with being late to class. One common thing that was found was that teachers almost always give two warnings before doing anything else. The first two times this happens, the teachers expect that the student figures out a new plan on getting to class on time. One of these ways could be not stopping to talk to your friends. The next thing they do if they are late more than once is they give the student a ten minute lunch detention. By this time, the teachers might have to talk to the students about how they can be on time.
Almost all of the eight grade students that were interviewed have been late to class at least one time. One reason they were late was because they had a class on the other side of the school. The students said they were late because they needed to get binders and other things from their lockers. Due to this, they have gotten detentions because of it.
All in all, passing time in BMS has been a huge issue. The teachers can’t teach right away if there are still students walking in after the bell. Also the students can’t learn about important things if they are late to class.
I like that you explained your topic fully, and effectively. Nice job!
DeleteLately, there has been a hot topic at Wayne E. Bartels Middle School that has been getting a lot of attention. Students want the phone policy to be changed. A student’s life without a phone is like drinking spoiled milk. The current policy is student’s phones can’t be anywhere but their lockers. We have interviewed many students who are directly affected.
ReplyDeleteOne main argument that the students have presented is that they will feel safer in school if they have it on them. Every student interviewed claimed that they would feel safer if they had their phone on them at all times. Most of the students said they would feel safer because they call the police and/or parents in an emergency. One of the students said they didn’t want it stolen. Although students claim they would feel safer teachers think otherwise. One teacher that was questioned said, “The students would probably not feel safer.” The principle at the school even says, “Schools have never been safer.”
Even though every student wanted the phone policy to change, they all agreed on one thing, things would get out of hand. All of the students thought that adding phones to an everyday school routine would be a major distraction. “Kids would act chaotically if allowed to use their phone.” Alyssa Anderson said.
The administrators will not be considering a change currently, but may if students complain enough.
Currently, students at BMS have three minutes to get to class. Based on interviews with 8th grade students, this reporter finds that many students are struggling to get to class on time without being late.
ReplyDeleteStudents who have classes that are on different sides of the school are having the most trouble making it to class before the bell rings. One BMS student in particular told this reporter that she has band on one side of the school, then she has to make it to her locker and then finally make it to english. She says hat during her three minutes of passing time she has to put away her instrument, and then rush down the hall to her locker and finally make it to class. She is rushed everyday, and has been late to class four times this year. She probably feels like getting to class on time is just as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.
Other students report not having enough time to go to the bathroom and get a drink during passing time, so they have to do it during class. This makes teachers and students unhappy. Some teachers don’t like it because it interrupts their teaching and takes away from the student’s learning time. Some students don’t like it because they have less time to learn, and they are confused when they get back due to being gone for only a few minutes.
When a student is late to class at BMS, they get in trouble. If the student is lucky they receive a verbal warning and a tardy in the gradebook. However, if they are not so lucky they could receive a detention of even a responsibility slip.
Different teachers have different opinions on how long passing time should be. Some think they should give students an extra minute or two to make it to class. This would ensure that they have enough time to go to the bathroom, go to their locker, get a drink and get to their class on time. Others think we should keep the three minutes of passing time because if we add extra time there would be less time for learning in classes. Some teachers are neutral and have no opinion about how long the passing time should be.
What would happen if we add minutes to passing time? First, it would make it easier for students to get to all of their classes on time, and give them time to take care of their bodies’ basic needs. But, it would also make classes shorter and take away from learning time which may lead to a longer school day. However, some students may abuse this passing time and use it to talk to their friends and still not make it to class on time.
All in all, students are struggling to get to class on time. This is because the only time to use the restroom and get a drink is during passing time. Some teachers won’t let them go during class. During their three minutes of passing time a student who has classes on opposite sides of the building would need to rush from one class to their locker and then back to their next class. This can be challenging for a middle schooler. 6th graders probably feel lost, and like it is impossible to get to class in three minutes, because they don’t know the building. However, adding time would leave less time for learning in classes.
This leaves lots to think about, but there may not actually be a foolproof solution to students not making it to class on time.
I like your use of a simile
DeleteThe school bus is a quick and easy way to get to and from school. Approximately 26 million students use the school bus as a way to get around in the morning and afternoon. The school bus also saves around 346.6 million daily miles around the U.S that parents use to get their children to school.
ReplyDeleteYou have to be saying to yourself “what parents wouldn't want their children riding the bus to and from school. However for all the good sides of topics there are also bad sides. One of the bad things on the bus is that 11 percent of students that ride the bus get bullied while they ride home.They might feel like they are in an endless hole of judgment and hate. Another bad thing about busses is that most of them do not seatbelts. That means if you get in a car accident on the bus you have a higher risk of severe injury.
There are many different types of people with many different experiences with school buses. A reporter from Portage Wisconsin Interviewed four people from BMS. They asked them questions like “what are your thoughts on school buses”. All of the people that got interviewed said that students act differently on the bus then at school. By that they said that students curse and misbehave way more than at school.
All four people also said that one rule they would add or change is more adult supervision on the students so they would behave better and set a better example for the younger students. One of the people said that “The older kids like the eight graders and all of the highschoolers need to behave because you are like a superman to the elementary students. Whatever you do they will do someday. That is why it’s so important to behave on the bus.
It seems like there will be no solutions to the bus problems for a good amount of time, and good things will also be furthered. However, buses also make sure that getting home safely from school is a reality.
I like your opening fact! It's a good hook.
DeleteI really like your introduction. Great work!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you believe? Phones, or no phones? At Wayne E. Bartels Middle School, the current phone policy is, “Cell phones shall be turned off and kept in students lockers at all times.” The students in this school that have been surveyed have said that they believe phones should be allowed to be carried in pockets. But, do their teachers and authorities agree? Also, what could this policy affect?
ReplyDeleteTeachers there have said that they believe that phones should stay in lockers or pockets during the school day. Phones shouldn’t be used in class, responded both surveyed teachers and students.
One authority of the Bartels Middle School believes that phones should stay in the lockers all day. They believe it results in less distraction and, test scores and student success would not improve with the usage of phones.
Though there are multiple reasons certain students and teachers feel the way they do, there were two most common replies. Some students have surveyed that they believe they would feel safer, and some kids have already distracted themselves with chromebooks.
Students have reported that they would feel safer if they could have a phone on them. This would be an instant connection with family and 911. Also, some students are playing games in class on their chromebooks already. This is like a sponge without water. The students aren’t soaking up any knowledge when playing games on their chromes, students have reported.
Therefore, students believe learning wouldn’t be affected by having a phone on students. The views of select students and teachers may be different than authorities of the school.
Authorities of the school feel understanding of these safety views, but also knowing that teachers have phones on them at all times. They believe this gives an instant connection with 911 in a dangerous situation.
There is not a right or wrong solution to these views. But students, teachers, and authorities of the school may have conflictions and similar views on this situation.
I like how you had short paragraphs, it made the article easy to read.
DeleteI really like the hook in your introduction.
DeleteThe current policy at Bartels Middle School for feminine products in the bathrooms, is that none are provided for the girls. Many schools don’t provide feminine hygiene products in the bathrooms. Reachsearch shows that girls are getting their periods earlier than girls did decades ago. Also, some girls don’t have enough money to pay for tampons and/or pads, even if there is a machine available.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that there aren’t any feminine products are because the company that supplied them went out of business. Because of this, some girls don’t go to school while they’re on their period or if they suspect it is coming in fear of getting it during school. Also, the fact that cramps can be very painful for some girls. Some girls aren’t comfortable asking teachers for feminine products, especially if it is a male teacher they’re asking.
One girl that was interviewed said that it would be easier to stay home because she has feminine products at her disposal. The same girls said that she would only ask for feminine hygiene products, if it was her last resort. While another girl said that it would be easier to go to school because she is thinking about something other than her period.
The second girl also said that she is completely comfortable asking teachers for feminine products. The first girl said that on a scale of one to ten of how painful her period is, she says, “2 or 3, maybe 4 when having cramps.” While the second girl said that her period was a, “8 or 9” on the same pain scale, because of her cramps. Sme girls also call their periods “Satan” or the “Red Waterfall”.
Even though both girls are incredibly different, for one question they both had the same answer for the first question asked. How often do you find feminine hygiene products in the schools bathrooms? To which they both answered, “Never.” One of the reasons why girls dislike their periods so much is because during school there aren’t any products available for them.
I like how you had lots of quotes.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, students at BMS have three minutes to get to class. Based on interviews with 8th grade students, this reporter finds that many students are struggling to get to class on time without being late.
ReplyDeleteStudents who have classes that are on different sides of the school are having the most trouble making it to class before the bell rings. One BMS student in particular told this reporter that she has band on one side of the school, then she has to make it to her locker and then finally make it to english. She says hat during her three minutes of passing time she has to put away her instrument, and then rush down the hall to her locker and finally make it to class. She is rushed everyday, and has been late to class four times this year. She probably feels like getting to class on time is just as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.
Other students report not having enough time to go to the bathroom and get a drink during passing time, so they have to do it during class. This makes teachers and students unhappy. Some teachers don’t like it because it interrupts their teaching and takes away from the student’s learning time. Some students don’t like it because they have less time to learn, and they are confused when they get back due to being gone for only a few minutes.
When a student is late to class at BMS, they get in trouble. If the student is lucky they receive a verbal warning and a tardy in the gradebook. However, if they are not so lucky they could receive a detention of even a responsibility slip.
Different teachers have different opinions on how long passing time should be. Some think they should give students an extra minute or two to make it to class. This would ensure that they have enough time to go to the bathroom, go to their locker, get a drink and get to their class on time. Others think we should keep the three minutes of passing time because if we add extra time there would be less time for learning in classes. Some teachers are neutral and have no opinion about how long the passing time should be.
What would happen if we add minutes to passing time? First, it would make it easier for students to get to all of their classes on time, and give them time to take care of their bodies’ basic needs. But, it would also make classes shorter and take away from learning time which may lead to a longer school day. However, some students may abuse this passing time and use it to talk to their friends and still not make it to class on time.
All in all, students are struggling to get to class on time. This is because the only time to use the restroom and get a drink is during passing time. Some teachers won’t let them go during class. During their three minutes of passing time a student who has classes on opposite sides of the building would need to rush from one class to their locker and then back to their next class. This can be challenging for a middle schooler. 6th graders probably feel lost, and like it is impossible to get to class in three minutes, because they don’t know the building. However, adding time would leave less time for learning in classes.
This leaves lots to think about, but there may not actually be a foolproof solution to students not making it to class on time.
At BMS the bathrooms are all lacking in the feminine products department. Many middle school girls have reached that time in their life when they require those products. Sure, they could go to an educator but some girls don’t feel comfortable asking one unless they no them well. Why don’t they have any necessary feminine products in the bathrooms?
ReplyDeleteThis reporter has interviewed multiple staff members, including the principle, and had gotten the same response, “I don’t know”. That was until one of the custodians gave them the answer, the company for that type of thing had gone out of business and no longer sells the machines or feminine products that it had. This reporter decided to dig deeper and see if there could be any alternate solutions.
The only suggestion that came up multiple times while interviewing was baskets of feminine products, mounted on the wall, and the honor system. This possible solution could work well. You wouldn’t have to pay for a product and could grab one on your way to the bathroom. Like most good things there are also flaws to this solution, for instance if someone decided to cause a mess by maybe throwing products across the floor. It could easily become a hazard. Maybe there could be another solution?
This reporter’s not sure about any other possible solutions and not many other people were sure either. Many middle school girls had an issue with this fact though and hope for a solution in the near future. It might not be the honor system solution like many students suggested or it might stay how it is currently where they’d have to ask educator. There could be a solution but the students wouldn’t know until they saw it.
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ReplyDeleteThere is an easy fix to the missing bathroom in the 7th grade hallway. However, it may cause a few problems in the process of fixing that one problem. The students that were interviewed had a lot to say about the bathrooms.
ReplyDeleteThere are currently no bathrooms in the east side hallway of BMS, the 7th grade hallway. An easy fix add another bathroom. There are financial expenses that do cause another problem though. Time is lost in the 7th grade classes and the encore classes that are down this hallway.
The average time of students using the bathroom, with the walking distance is about 4-5 minutes. The classrooms down this hall have to walk to the 8th grade bathroom which is on the opposite side of the school.
The 8th grade classes don’t have to walk as far. They have 2 bathrooms in their halls. The average amount of time is 2-3 minutes for the 8th graders. This is a shorter amount verses the 7th graders. Teachers from 7th grade say that students often wander in the halls and they use the distance to the bathroom as an excuse for taking a long time. Majority of students said that they wish they had a bathroom in the 7th grade hall. However, some disagree. A student at BMS that goes by the name Ezra said, “...So it would’ve been a little bit more convenient I suppose but I could care less if they actually installed one or not.”
In BMS, they have 3 minutes to do everything they need to do. Trying to go to your locker, go to the bathroom, and get back to class on time is like trying to sprint with bowling balls on your feet. With the bathroom far away, it is more difficult to get there and back in time. Students have said that the halls are always busy too, and it’s too crowded down the 8th grade hall. Some students even said that they don’t even try to go to the bathroom because of this issue.
Teachers also struggle with not having a bathroom nearby. A few say they can’t go to the bathroom because they don’t trust students to be alone. Mr.Mayne, a 7th grade teacher at BMS said, “If they added a bathroom, behavior would improve.” The distractions would occur less when they walk by the office, and the mixing of the grades would stop.
The teachers have trouble with attendance as well. One teacher said they don’t mind kids using the restroom at the beginning of class if they hurry, but another teacher said that they cannot do attendance when some students are in the bathroom.
Out of the students surveyed, most of them knew others that enjoyed the far bathrooms. Some kids even admitted to liking getting out of class themselves. About 45% of the students said they don’t mind the far bathrooms, but the difference in opinion brought up by one student was the gender. Majority of the girls wished there was a bathroom nearby, but most of the boys wanted to take a walk for the bathroom.
This however, is not the main reason for differences in opinions about the bathroom. A reason brought up by a different student at BMS, was that students who care about their grades/about school, wished that there was a bathroom. The students who don’t care as much about school, don’t care if there is a bathroom nearby.
Whether students want one or not, there is going to be a problem caused if a bathroom is installed. An easy fix would be to add a bathroom. The problem is that it would be very expensive.
The BMS building was once the High School. Back then, they didn’t have such a long hallway where the 7th grade is now. They added a few rooms since then, but it took awhile. If they were to add another bathroom, it would be expensive to “drill” a drain and a sewage pipe. Also, they’d have to move some teachers’ rooms or add another two rooms for the girls and boys bathrooms. This will be pricey for the school. The students’ learning is number one. Maybe choosing learning over bathrooms is better. Maybe adding a bathroom to get students’ time better managed is important too.
In order to combat the growing problem of plastic waste in our oceans, Boyan Slat invented a floating barrier. It features a U-shaped design and is two thousand feet long. The barrier was placed in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is essentially a large island made of plastic.
ReplyDeleteIt travels by wind and wave propulsion, capturing any plastic that crosses it’s path. The barrier also moves at a speed of about four inches per second to outrun the plastic.
Boyan Slat has also been questioned by critics wanting to know how effective the barrier really is. There are concerns on how it affects marine wildlife and if it distracts from the goal of preventing plastic from entering the ocean.
Plastic pollution is a common issue in today’s society. Studies show that many people have become worried about their plastic usage and are looking to buy eco-friendly products. Seventy-four percent of Americans think the government should do whatever it takes to protect the environment.
Beach cleanups can be seen happening a lot more often. Communities are coming together to clean their local beaches and ocean. “There is satisfaction to say, ‘I removed ten pounds of trash from the beach.’ Even if it’s only ten pounds, that’s ten pounds that isn’t going to go into the ocean.”- Kara Lavender Law.
Humans aren’t the only ones being affected by plastic. Marine animals don’t realize that plastic isn’t food, shelter, or a toy, so it often ends up harming them. Whales, sea turtles, and seabirds all commonly mistake plastic for a meal and end up eating it.
Single-use plastics are another culprit in plastic pollution. Some examples of them are plastic bags, water bottles, straws, cups, and utensils. The reason there's an abundance of this type of plastic is because of how convenient they are.
However, there are steps that can be taken. Consumers can bring reusable bags with them to stores. They can also use a reusable water bottle. Finding solutions for using less plastic in their daily lifestyle is important.
Consumers can also think about the products they are buying. Experts suggest looking for products with minimal packaging that come in something reusable. Products in cardboard packaging are good because it is usually biodegradable and recyclable.The most effective ways to combat plastic pollution are to be a smart buyer and to use less plastic. Small changes can make a big difference.
Not all plastic is bad, but a lot of it is unnecessary. Or, as Stian Alessandro Ekkemes Rossi puts it, “Plastic is good if it’s used smartly, and bad if it’s used poorly.” Plastic doesn’t need to be completely eliminated, it just needs to be put to use in better ways.
The world might never be free from plastic pollution, but society can start doing things now so that the amount of it doesn’t grow. It is up to the human race to determine what the future of the world will look like.