On Feb. 27, 2023, a new bathroom procedure will be enforced in attempts to cut down on bathroom vandalization and unauthorized wandering through the hallways by students. 

According to an email sent by assistant principal Vince Nedimyer to all staff, there will now be five bathrooms open to students at all times, monitored by varying teachers for their principal assignment period. The bathrooms that will remain open are as follows:

A – Building:

1. Bathroom outside of senior principal office – second floor
2. Bathroom outside of freshmen principal office – third floor

B – Building:

1. Bathroom across from Life Skills classroom – first floor 
2. Bathroom across from ES classroom – second floor 
3. Bathroom across from B308 – third floor 

“Myself and the other principals sat down and talked about how we have reports of damage. We have had a lot of damage in the bathrooms, and unfortunately, when things like this are happening, we have to take steps to be able to narrow down who’s in what bathroom at what time. It’s unfortunate that we have to deal with things like this, but these are steps that need to be taken,” Nedimyer said. 

Now all teachers will be required to do the following throughout their principals assignment period to ensure safety:

1. Teachers are required to report to duty on time to avoid student congregations prior to class.
2. Teachers are required to check for the following from students: ID worn by the student and a signed hall pass. 

“I think we as principals are constantly trying to make the experience here better. We meet every Tuesday with the maintenance staff. We get reports from them in terms of when we have to lock the bathrooms. We do not lock them because we don’t want students to use them. We lock them because there’s been damage, and we have to go on the cameras and try to track down who’s in and out and hopefully find whoever commits these crimes. Believe it or not, the things that are being vandalized in the bathrooms cost a lot of money, and it adds up. As far as a breaking point goes, I think it’s just a matter of getting back to the basics of controlling our hallways and holding kids accountable,” Nedimyer said.

Despite the enforcement of having a signed pass during class, students are still permitted to use the restrooms during class change. 

“If the reason for the bathroom visit is to actually use the restroom, yes, students can surely go. They just have to be in class on time,” Nedimyer said. 

Along with the new procedures, teachers will now have walkie-talkies to communicate with principals in a situation of insubordination committed by a student. 

 “It’s a simple way to communicate. Let’s say in the context of if someone is working on a station outside of the bathroom and there is a situation where a student won’t come out of a restroom, they can simple say ‘Mr. Nedimeyer, Mr. Shultz or Mrs. Harrington, assistance is needed at the bathroom outside of the twelfth grade office. It’s just a means of communication in the event that there may be an issue at one of those places,” Nedimyer said.