The big debate is whether or not students at Albany High School get enough time in between classes.

Although many argue that there isn’t enough time in between classes due to traffic in the halls, adding more time to travel could make the school day longer. At Albany High School, students only have a minimum of four minutes to pass between class. The traffic in the halls has gotten better lately, due to the newly organized lines outside both cafeterias and the library. Despite efforts by the administrators and school faculty to increase hallway traffic efficiency, many still complain, citing that it just isn’t enough time.

I took the liberty of going around the cafeteria during my fourth period lunch and got some of the students’ opinions. Jerome Robinson, an 11th grader, said “I don’t think we have enough time in the hallways, because there are too many kids standing and talking in the hallways. Hall monitors and school faculty need to enforce these rules all the time, and not just during hall sweeps…” Another student, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that “we get enough time in between classes- you just gotta walk to class right after the bell and make it happen.” I asked a third student in my lunch room about whether she felt we had enough time and she stated that,”I’d rather the time remain the same, because a longer school day isn’t worth extra time in the halls.”

As a test, I then timed myself getting to class from my English classroom on the Innovation side to all the way to the other side of the school on the leadership side to my Spanish class. It took me about three minutes to get to my destination. Keep in mind, however, that I took the back hallways, considering they are the least crowded and most recommended by staff and administrators. I spoke to our school’s principal, Ms. Getto, who said, “…I’m a data person, so if there’s really a problem I can change it… some of the possibilities are tacking on an extra thirty seconds. If it’s a perception problem I can’t help, but if it’s reality I’m your girl.”

In conclusion, even though the school has created lines to help move hallway traffic throughout the school, many complain that it’s not enough time, due to kids forming groups to converse in the hallways or it just being crowded in general because of the school’s population of approximately 2600 students. If they do oppose short transition periods, students need to keep in mind that adding time to the schedule could create a longer school day as a result. For best results, students should go straight to class to avoid being late and go to first go to their class, then get a pass to go to their lockers to get any work, clothes, and etc.