WHS has started testing a new digital hall pass system called SmartPass, introducing a new way to track students as they leave class and move through the building.
The pilot phase of this program, which began with a group of volunteer teachers, tracks where students are going once they leave the classroom. Instead of relying only on the current lanyard and scan system, where students can enter locations, SmartPass logs where students are going before they leave and how long they are out of the classroom.
Principal Mary Asfendis said the system isn’t meant to change expectations, but to make procedures clearer. “It’s just a different way of noting that information,” she said.
She also addressed concerns about how closely the system tracks students, comparing it to what the school already does. “Students and staff need to think of it like we’re already using a digital way of recording where kids are,” she said. She explained that systems like our current turnstile already collects similar information, but SmartPass is meant to make that process more accurate and comprehensible.
SmartPass was designed to give a clearer picture of both where students are going as well as how long they’re out of the classroom for; administrators say it could help manage hallway traffic.
The system can also limit how many students are in certain spaces at once. As Asfendis explained, “If five girls are in the girls’ room, [the system] won’t give you a sixth pass.”
She also pointed to safety as one of the advantages of the program. In an emergency, SmartPass can show administration where students are in real time, which could help staff respond quickly if necessary.
However, not everyone feels the same way about the new system. Some students say the idea of tracking movement throughout the day, including bathroom trips, feels uncomfortable. Others think it could make leaving class feel more controlled than before.
One of the teachers who volunteered for the pilot, Art Teacher Lauren Schwarzenbeck, said she wanted to be involved so she could give honest feedback before it possibly expanded school-wide. “I technically don’t want to pilot it, but I offered to volunteer so I can give feedback,” she said. She acknowledged that while there are some benefits, the system can feel “a little Big Brothery, a little creepy, like ‘we’re watching you.’”
For now, SmartPass is still in its early stages. Approximately 40 teachers have shown interest, and the school plans to continue testing it over the next few weeks while collecting feedback. The pilot will allow administrators to make adjustments before deciding if the system should be amended in the future.