To minimize disciplinary action related to students being absent from class, Hershey High School implemented new rules for leaving classes starting on Thursday, December 2nd, 2021.

In the first ten and last ten minutes of class, students are now not able to leave for other classes or to use the restroom. Also, only one student is allowed out of the classroom at a time. Additionally, the cafeteria restrooms are closed for part of the day, and the F wing second floor bathrooms require heavy maintenance.

This measure was put in place after the administration noticed a spike in disciplinary referrals occuring at the beginning of periods, where students would not go to class and instead the bathroom or hallways. Assistant principal Lindsey Schmidt said, “[the first ten minutes] seemed to be where the majority of our situations of students making poor choices were occurring.”

This decision was not made solely on the basis of limiting fights. Instead, it is to focus on the community’s mentality as a whole.  Schmidt said, “There seems to be this idea that it’s only a couple kids making some really bad choices.  But there’s a lot of kids in the hallways when they sh