This year, Chamblee High School started using the 5 Star app and website to assign bathroom, tardy and study hall passes. The 5 Star pass options are limited, however, and I think Chamblee’s students could benefit from more hall passes. Lucky for them, I have some 5 Star hall pass suggestions that I think should be added to the app.
- The No-More-Running-To-The-Trailers Pass
If you have a class in the trailers, you know how hard it is to make it from the far end of the practice field to the third or even fourth floor. Last school year, I had to sprint up the end of the fourth floor and it was the worst part of my day by far. Like I’m sorry, but I did not choose to have classes on the very other side of the school campus. The No-More-Running-To-The-Trailers Hall Pass wouldn’t be outrageous or anything, but it would give students coming to or from the trailers an extra two or three minutes so they aren’t full-blown sprinting to make it to class.
2. The Overwhelmed-By-Emotions Pass
Ok, hear me out. I think every high schooler can agree that there’s been a class period where they were holding back tears for whatever reason, but you just have to pretend to sneeze and wipe your tears away, hoping nobody asks you if you’re ok (math class, I’m talking about you). This is extremely toxic for mental health as is, but a hall pass would help. If I’m about to ball or I might break my classmate’s pencil, whether it’s school related or not, let me go take a little walk down the hall. This pass would be five minutes, like a bathroom pass, but without the weed-smelling bathroom stalls.
3. The Hug-A-Friend Pass
When I was in preschool, we had a system where if your friend was in another classroom and upset, you could go give them a hug and then go back to your class. Just like I say when people talk about how we should have naptime in high school instead of kindergarten, it’s more necessary now! That is the pass that inspired this whole article. I need my friends sometimes! I’m not trying to disrupt classes with this pass, but if you or your friend have a free period where your work is done and the teacher isn’t giving a lecture, 5 Star will allow you to make the pass, choose your friend, and then your friend’s 5 Star app will be notified you are on your way. I know it might sound a little silly, but I promise it will improve students’ lives!
4. The 504 Plan Pass
Lots of students have 504 plans that allow them to take walks in the hallway. These students have to just get bathroom passes and explain to every administrator why they’re not actually going to the bathroom and are allowed to take a walk. This needs to be a pass so students with a 504 plan can stop having to explain themselves for practicing their right to walk. This could also be used for students with diabetes who need to get a juice from the vending machine or do a finger prick in the hallway. Again, this pass avoids awkward conversations and misunderstandings with admin and teachers.
5. The I-Need-To-See-The-Light-Of-Day Pass
50 minutes a class, 7 classes, 5 days a week, 180 days a year that students don’t see the sunlight. If you’re in class and blinded by the bright, yellowish, blaring lights and you can’t take it anymore, this is the pass for you. It would allow students to walk out to the skybridge, take a deep breath, reconnect with the world.
