As North Harford ushers in a new school year, many have noticed a few changes that have been made in policies and staffing. While students were on vacation, the administration was meeting and devising plans to improve the operations of the school.

     A guideline that has upset some students already this year is the lateness policy. What some students may not know is that this policy is actually not new.

    “We are working to make sure that it is enforced- it’s not necessarily new,” says assistant principal Jonise Stallings. “The goal is to keep our building and the students in it safe. There is enough time in that six minutes to gather your books from your locker, and head to the other side of the school if you really need to. Those six minutes aren’t necessarily for socializing.”

    A great focus of the admin’s plans for improvement involved fostering a productive and healthy environment for students. Once again, stricter enforcement of the dress code policy has been updated.

    “As administrators, we really only see students during the lunch period. We wanted to have the dress code enforced before then to minimize distractions in class. So, Mrs. Stallings comes on the announcements in the morning every once in a while to remind homeroom teachers to check their students,” states assistant principal Mark Truszkowski. “Some teachers are uncomfortable addressing this issue with students because they sometimes receive a negative reaction. This way, the admin asks, and the teachers are expected to comply.”

     Some students have struggled to comply with dress code already this year. When teachers send them down to the office, Stallings is prepared to set them up with more appropriate clothing if necessary.

     “Some people just don’t know how to put beautiful articles of clothing together appropriately. You can accessorize those nice clothes with jackets, sweaters, or leggings that make your outfits more appropriate. We don’t want any distractions in the classroom,” says Stallings.

       Students also might have noticed the policy against food in the classrooms being tightened, as problems with bugs, mice, and rats have become apparent to the administration.

      “We really just want this building to be a clean environment, because this place can get dirty, and we have limited custodians to keep it clean,” says Truszkowski. “If classes want to have events with food, they will probably have to ask Mr. Herbold. We are enforcing this policy for two reasons: first, for the sake of cleanliness, but also we don’t need the distraction of food in the classroom It is contrary to why we are here.”

       According to Truszkowski, the deli line in the cafeteria has been a wonderful addition to the lunch experience at North Harford so far this year.

      “I’ve bought from the deli line every day. They wanted this at the end of last year, but I wasn’t sure if we had the resources,” said Truszkowski. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised- the line has grown, and the students are moved through it quickly. The deli line offers fresh choices and health options.”

      Last but not least, an essential change this year has been the addition of new staff members.

   “It’s going very well so far. We are very pleased with our new staff, and our staff in general,” stated Stallings. “They are high quality educators that are on board with our school’s mission. We really lucked out to get some excellent teachers.”

     As students and faculty begin to adjust to these new changes, the administration is excited about the prospects of the new year.

   “Start the school year with the desire to be successful. If you start it that way sincerely, you will end it that way sincerely. Start strong, finish strong,” says Stallings.