Media Center relaxes policies during lunch period

Inside+the+Glen+Rock+High+School%2FMiddle+School+media+center%2C+the+rules+that+normally+govern+behavior+are+relaxed+during+the+block+lunch+period.+

Photo Credit: Carter Stansel

Inside the Glen Rock High School/Middle School media center, the rules that normally govern behavior are relaxed during the block lunch period.

by Carter Stansel, Staff Writer

The Glen Rock Middle/High School media center has experienced a growth in activity during High School’s lunch period, or fourth block.

The media center has a set of rules and policies posted on its fusion page. Some of those policies include:

  • Please keep talking to a minimum. Speak in a low voice.
  • No food, gum, candies or drinks in Media Center at any time (this includes entrance lobby, computer lab and media viewing room.
  • Computer games, online shopping and access to non-academic websites and other uses not related to schoolwork are prohibited.
  • No cell phone, ipods or other electronic devices are allowed in the media center.

During the lunch period not all the rules apply. The rules for lunch are more relaxed now because the new rotating drop schedule has the entire high school eating lunch at the same time.

“I noticed that the behavior (of students in the media center during lunch) was changing very early, so there was a learning curve for the students and there was curve for me and the teacher who were on duty. We had to really allow more things to go on during the student’s free time,” Linda Hartman, media specialist, said about the rules and policies of the media center during lunch.

The rules that are set in place for lunch are not physically written in a document, but are known and are more relaxed for students during lunch, but not the other class periods. The rules and policies posted on the fusion page are for normal class periods, and are strictly enforced.

“The really big ‘no’ is no eating and no drinking,” Hartman said. It is enforced at all times including lunch and is set in place so the technology does not get ruined and so no crumbs are left behind to prevent bug problems.

“That’s the only one I see enforced,” Benjamin Sakac (’19) said about the no food or drinks rule during lunch.

A popular game Binding of Isaac played by many on school computers during lunch.
Photo Credit: Carter Stansel
A popular game Binding of Isaac played by many on school computers during lunch.

Many students spend there time in the media center playing games on the computers. It is normally not tolerated but due to the rules being relaxed during lunch, it is accepted. Many students play games on the computer, while others focus on their work.

Sakac spends majority of his lunch periods in the media center focusing on schoolwork and not games.

“I would kind of feel like a jerk if I was playing a game because that’s a computer someone else could be using to do their work,” Sakac said.

The media will still continue to comprehensively implement their rules and policies during normal class periods. Anyone caught breaking those rules greatly may have to be written up and sent to Mr. Pasciuto.