The 2013-2014 school year at Colonia High School has been marked with a great deal of change. Along with new administration, students have seen the introduction of a overhauled student ID program which is intended to increase school efficiency.
The program, sponsored by Lors Photography, is aimed to expedite proceedings at bathrooms and when students sign-in late to school. In concept , a student should be able to scan their ID into a device stationed outside each bathroom and the front door which then records the student’s swipe in an online database.
A simple concept, although it is not without its problems, according to Colonia High School art teacher Ms. Lombardi, Yearbook Advisor, who is in charge of the ID program. “Any time that something new is implemented for a large group there are bound to be some hiccups,” said Lombardi. Initial problems included incorrect bar codes being printed on student’s ID’s; a problem more common for new students new to the school district without an established ID number, according to Lombardi.
“We are trying to smooth out as many bumps as possible,” assured Lombardi. While they have encountered “a variety of challenges,” most of which centered around changing the undergraduate yearbook photography from mid-September to early June, Lombardi is confident that the program will ultimately be deemed successful. “Like a well-oiled machine, repetition improves fluidity,” commented Lombardi.
Although Lombardi could not comment on the estimated cost of the ID program since Lors Photography prints the ID cards without an additional financial agreement, it is clear that the program may prove potentially expensive to students.“Each student is given, free of charge, one initial student ID card. If the card is lost, stolen, or damaged, however, students will be charged $5 cash for each replacement ID,” said Lombardi.
This is the first school year where ID cards are required to be within a student’s possession at all times. In prior years, ID cards were distributed but were used in a limited capacity. The student body’s reaction to the ID system is still not yet clear.
“At first, seasoned students were somewhat reluctant to change,” Lombardi explained. “However, when they began actually using the barcodes, many of them began enjoying the ease of new technology,” she added.
Colonia High School Senior Tyler Goldberg seems to agree with Lombardi’s philosophy.“I’m beginning to like the new ID cards. At first I thought they were just annoying, but they’ve actually proved helpful,” claimed Goldberg.
Other students have been slow to accept the change, however.“The new ID’s really just seem to be another thing to worry about. I’m not sure they will actually help the school, they might just end up being an inconvenience,” Colonia High School Senior Harrison Jackson remarked.
Even though a divide in opinion in the student body seems apparent, the ID system seems to be a permanent addition.
