It’s something many students dream about- what would I do if I became principal? McNick students have their own ideas of what they would change about McNick if they found themselves in charge of the school.
With McNicholas’ uniform policy, girls are to wear a modest length plaid skirt with a green or white McNick polo tucked in. Boys are to wear khaki pants with a McNick polo tucked in, and all students are permitted to wear McNick approved sweaters, jackets, and sweatshirts. Senior Noah Kohl would make changes to this current policy, though, if he were principal. “I would change the uniform policy so that people would have more options of shirts to wear. I would also allow shirt and ties on Mass days,” he said.
Students are also to wear their student ID on a lanyard. If a student does not have a lanyard, he or she is out of uniform and receives one demerit. When a student receives five demerits, a detention is issued. When they receive 15 demerits, they get a Saturday school. “I would get rid of lanyards because it would decrease the number of demerits and detentions among the student body,” senior Bridget Strotman said.
School runs from 7:40 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. Monday through Friday with 8 bells in a day, including a lunch bell. Classes include both requirements for graduation and electives like Intro to Engineering and Creative Writing. “I would make school only Monday through Thursday so that I could spend more time with my family and friends. I think that people would be more awake because they would get more sleep on the weekends,” senior Maddy Dobkins said. Junior Faith Miller said she would add nap times into the curriculum.
The schedule also includes Block Days once a month, with three hour and a half long classes on Thursday, followed by a late start at 8:55 am. Friday has four hour and a half long classes that run during normal school hours. “I would change late starts on Thursdays on block days to early releases on Friday,” senior Felicia Marino said. Freshman Sofia Aguiluz wishes that Block Day classes were shorter, instead of being in the classroom for so long.
Study lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the library are new this year, kids are asked to “study quietly and productively.” Some students are unhappy with this because they want to talk to their classmates. during that time in the library. “I would get rid of study lunches. The upper level in the library is study lunch all week, so it is pointless, and it bothers me how I can’t talk and sit at the tables during study lunch days,” sophomore Nick Russo said.
Also occurring once a month are Mass days. “I would change the schedule so that we have Mass every Friday like we did in grade school,” senior Ben Johnston said.
The cafeteria was renovated during the summer of 2015, but freshman Ella Barnhill would change one more thing. “I would get lunch trays because then you wouldn’t have to carry everything in your hands,” Barnhill said. There is air conditioning in the cafeteria and a select few rooms in the school. Sophomore AJ Gregory would change that. “I would add air conditioning to the entire building so it isn’t so hot in the building at the beginning and ending of the year,” Gregory said.
What would you change as principal? Comments welcome below.
The McNicholas Milestone 