By Keri Courtnage, News Editor
Penn-Trafford High School students were instructed to report directly to their assigned study hall location instead of the library on Tuesday, Oct. 11. There, a new procedure concerning the library, now called the media center, was explained to them.
Instead of being able to go to the media center all five days of the school week, students have only two assigned days according to their study hall. They may also obtain a pass from a teacher to go on a different day in order to get work done.
If students are not working in the media center, they will be sent back to their assigned study hall.
Paul Conrad, the librarian at PTHS, said, “Something had to be put in place, because some periods had around 140 students in the library with nothing to do except hang out with friends. It was only creating problems.”
Now, there are around 75 students in the media center per period.
“It needed to be manageable, with everyone working like they are supposed to, two days a week,” Conrad added.
With the rule in place for barely a week, mixed reactions have occurred.
“A couple of students have been calling it dumb and questioning it. They need to realize the purpose of the media center isn’t to talk. As time goes by, the students will realize it’s for the best, without distractions,” Conrad said.
Students have been signing in to the media center on their assigned days, and some are getting passes from teachers to work on assignments on other days.
“I think the new rule is working so far. I’ve seen a lot more work done by students who used to talk and goof off,” Conrad said. “Their friends aren’t here, they’re in a different study hall that period, so they’re getting work done. They might even enjoy it, because that leaves them with less work to do at home.”
This idea did not evolve over a day; the administration at P-T came up with a goal for the procedures.
“The goal was to make the media center more of an educational hub for the centerpiece of the school versus a place to socialize,” high school principal Tony Aquilio said. “I think it’s important to socialize during work, and with the development of the new media center, it’s like a Barnes and Noble environment. However, we realized if you go to a Barnes and Noble, it’s not as loud as the library was. There was simply too many students.”
Aquilio thinks the rule will be tweaked throughout the years.
He said, “It’s a new area not many schools have, with TVs and computers and a coffee shop. It’s more like a college atmosphere, which is what we are going for. Based on how this goes, we might change things a little.”
Aquilio also said he has already noticed more students working and less students talking, as well as more teachers utilizing the various rooms.
“I think students were apprehensive at first, but after the initial change they haven’t been complaining because they realized they can get work done and enjoy it,” Aquilio said.
To make this decision, teachers, students, administrators all gave input.
Aquilio said mostly English teachers were asked for their opinion, because they often reserve the library in order for their classes to work on papers.
“I like the media center. I make a point to go down there multiple times a day. It’s nice to see more students engaged in learning,” Aquilio said. “I love it so far.”
Not only are students able to take advantage of the media center, but teachers are as well. They can reserve rooms for their classes to work on group assignments.
“I like the new media center rules. I know that’s not popular with what the students are saying, but I see a difference already,” Nancy Marinclin, a Speech and Debate and English teacher, said. “I am in the media center third period, and it just has more of an atmosphere to get things done and keep it under control. Kids can still come in and get stuff done and go to the coffee shop.”
Marinclin said she has mostly heard negative feedback from freshmen.
“Other classes can come in here and utilize the rooms. I haven’t yet because the media center is usually too crowded, but I will now,” Marinclin added.
Overall, the staff has said they are pleased with the outcome of the media center thus far.