May 16, 2025
By Ioanna Hantzaras
Staff Writer
Gone are the days of long bathroom lines and unnecessary waste. With SmartPass, the digital hall pass system implemented at LHS this past winter, students can move about the building quickly and safely.
A major issue with paper passes was the long lines at the bathrooms. Students sometimes lost up to 20 minutes of class time waiting for a stall, especially with the rule that allowed only one student into the bathroom at a time. This was particularly frustrating for students in fast-paced classes. With SmartPass, the bathroom line is now virtual, so students wait in class until it is their turn, ensuring a prompt return to class.
The three passes granted to students each day are more than sufficient. It’s unlikely that a student will need to leave class for a location listed on SmartPass more than three times. Furthermore, if a student needs to visit a location not listed on their SmartPass interface or is experiencing an emergency, teachers can issue a SmartPass, allowing them to leave the classroom.
Only chronic tardiness is penalized. Therefore, a student is typically not reprimanded for returning to class a few seconds or minutes after their SmartPass has expired. SmartPass is still relatively new, so students and teachers are still adjusting to it. The administration acknowledges this and views occasional mistakes—like forgetting to end a pass—as isolated incidents.
The previous system’s biggest drawback was the excessive waste.
Most importantly, SmartPass keeps students safe. In the event of an emergency, the school has a record of students’ locations when they are not in class. Therefore, they can locate these students and preserve their well-being.
SmartPass provides a clear purpose for the hall pass system. It’s easy to fill out a SmartPass, and LHS’ administrators and staff can regularly monitor students’ whereabouts.
In contrast, administrators and teachers rarely checked paper passes. In fact, most teachers instructed students to discard the passes when they returned to class. Therefore, the only records of students leaving the classroom were sign-out sheets and bathroom logs, which were reviewed when necessary and eventually got discarded.
The previous system’s biggest drawback was the excessive waste. With numerous passbooks and sign-out sheets being used every day, a significant amount of paper was consumed. SmartPass solves this problem by reducing paper waste while enhancing efficiency.
Overall, SmartPass benefits everyone. Students create passes on their Chromebooks. Meanwhile, teachers can keep students accountable, and administrators can ensure their safety.
As the system continues to evolve, it will likely become more streamlined and effective, making LHS a more productive, safer and greener place for learning.
