By Kayla Samimi
Executive News Editor
Students at Manhattan Beach Middle School attended an assembly on Aug. 29 in which their new principal, Kim Linz, announced a revised set of policies expected of the students for the rest of the school year. Even though some of these expectations are a substantial change from the previous school year, the expectations will positively affect students in the long run because they teach students how to adapt smart choices regarding controlled technology use, recycling and other aspects.
Linz said that while discussing these new expectations with the MBMS staff over the summer, instead of focusing on the repercussions of disobeying rules, she hoped to encourage students to better themselves, a lesson that is valuable and can be applied to all aspects in life. Therefore, because these rules are not meant to be a form of strict punishment, they leave room for students to thrive while still learning ways to improve their personal lifestyles.
Perhaps the most significant change made to the school’s expectations is the prohibited use of technology for non-educational purposes during lunch and nutrition. Before implementing this guideline, Linz did extensive online research on the negative impacts of screen time on the body, and how these impacts are maximized in pre-teens since their brains are still developing. She then wisely made the choice to add the expectation to the MBMS’s 2016-17 matrix.
Link: Read similar research relating screen time to brain damage
Furthermore, Linz said that teachers observed that previously, when kids were allowed to use their electronic devices during lunch to check social media or play games, that usage often continued into their next period, distracting them from their studies. But with this new policy, this problem is nearly eliminated, creating an improved learning environment in the classrooms.
According to MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews, as a result of this new policy, students now appear to be more communicative during lunch and nutrition. Evidently, this result is positive and teaches students to grow accustomed to more face-to-face interactions versus digital ones. In addition, eighth grade student Bhavin Patel says that so far in the school year, students appear to be more active during breaks, something which he did not notice as much last year.
However, it can be argued that the no-technology policy has no long-term effect on students for once they enter high school, no such rules exist. Linz believes that while this is true, teaching students to limit their technological use in middle school helps them habituate this profitable action. Ultimately, this leads to less technological distractions when moving onto high school.
When individual students succeed in complying with the new expectations such as these, they are rewarded by receiving points through tickets. When the student body as a whole reaches a certain quantity of points, they can receive rewards such as school-wide In-N-Out lunch days or an opportunity to listen to music during lunch. This point system is a good idea as it clearly shows students the correlation between cause and effect: if a student obeys the rules, then they will be rewarded.
However, eighth grader Olin Meyer says that some teachers do not use the point system in their classrooms. Consequently, the sole purpose of the system is degenerated by this lack of participation; its full potential can only be reached if all teachers at the middle school abide by it and excite their students to follow the school’s policies. Nevertheless, overall, the point system benefits students and serves its purpose in bringing a more positive outlook to the new expectations.
Additionally, when leaving the classroom for any reason, all students must have a valid hall pass with them, effectively avoiding any student from leaving his or her class without their teacher’s permission. Students are further expected to always clean up after themselves during breaks and recycle properly, greatly improving the campus’s appearance while simultaneously promoting environmental friendliness, something that will help MBMS thrive as a school.
MBMS eighth grade student Shane Roberts believes that while recycling is beneficial, the punishment for not doing so or merely forgetting to pick up after oneself is far too harsh. Currently, if the student body as a whole leaves a substantial amount of trash on campus after lunch, the next day, everyone is prohibited from using the black top or soccer field during their breaks. This consequence not only is effective, but it firsthand shows students the significance of relying on others and not ignoring policies; for in the end, hundreds, not just those responsible, face repercussions.
All of these rules as a whole help to promote MBMS as a beneficial learning environment where students are taught how to properly perform and generate habits not just used in middle school, but in society in its entirety. Through the expectations regarding technology, recycling and hall passes, students learn basic intelligence and safety skills which they will likely practice throughout high school and beyond.
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