It is well-known that WJPS is not a traditional high school. Other high schools allow students to go off-campus during their lunch period, or freely use their phones as long as it doesn’t become a distraction to the student or others. 

A few students said it’s time for some changes. 

WJPS junior, Melanie Martinez thought students should have the option of listening to their own music during class. If anything, music in class could be beneficial. Popular studies show that certain music helps people study better. 

To address obvious concerns from the school’s staff, music would be played with headphones at a reasonable volume and when a teacher needs attention, students would be required to pause their music for the duration of a lesson. 

WJPS junior, Marissa Desir wants the library to be accessible every day during high school lunch periods for students that need to catch up on their work in a quiet room. Many teachers open their rooms to students during lunch, but it isn’t a quiet space. 

Angel Morales, WJPS junior presented a final suggestion. He thinks there should be more than one hall pass. It’s inconvenient to wait for someone to come back from the bathroom when you need to visit the office or quickly go to your locker. There should be a pass for different circumstances. 

These students’ suggestions could be easily monitored by staff members to avoid someone abusing these privileges.