New study halls

Study Hall has moved from Cafeterias to classrooms in a way of boosting grades. Rules have been placed that make it more like a detention room than a study hall.

Is this the right thing to do? Does it take away the fun of study hall or, does it give you something better back like less work to do at home? Many students have problems with this.
Is it fair that one of your strictest classes is one that you don’t get graded in? Many wonder what caused this change the old system seemed like it was working well.

“It’s totally unfair to do especially, when you have no work to do. Sitting there for 40 minutes is horrible.” Tom Ciocio states.

Kids wonder how come we can’t listen to iPods and not even whisper to friends. Kenny Edwards argues that the new study hall isn’t helping “Not only was the cafeteria better it gave us a choice on what we wanted to do I personally work better at home than in a classrooms.”
Although Study Hall has study in the title not many kids study in it. It’s more of an extra lunch where occasionally a book gets opened. “Many students have a hard time focusing in the loud cafeteria in big groups”. Says Alyssa Brener.

By George Farrell

Changes in Cookie Intake

Why the sudden change in the distribution of goods in Smithtown schools? Cookies should be a treat, not a privilege. In the school store, a bag of cookies is not considered very much to kids our age, due to the fact that we’re growing boys and girls. If cookies are as fattening as the Health Wellness Community says they are, then why are we even able to buy one bag? If we are limited to only one bag of cookies per day, there’s no point of selling the cookies. Mr. Coady, principal of Smithtown West, explains that “It’s your decision, and I decided to treat you like adults.” Asking Mr. Coady helped our curiosity a bit, especially since he was flexible with making new rules.
“No I do not want kids eating two to three bags of cookies, but one bag AFTER your lunch is a good treat.” Mr. Coady decided that in order to let kids have their privilege of limiting their own cookie intakes, then you are able to get more than one bag the last fifteen minutes of each lunch period. Also, he feels it is important for the kids to know how much they’re inhaling. With this in mind, a billboard will be put up above the school store in the commons, including the amount of calories and fat in each food item sold.

By MaryAnn Valentine