Imagine a world at Norwalk High in which the bell rang for class and instead of going to study hall, you could walk around, go get pizza, or hang out around campus. Although the idea of a “free period” seems far fetched, it is actually a seriously considered topic at NHS.

            The idea of a free period was brought up at the last Norwalk High open session, in which students voice their opinions to student government. Some of these opinions are being taken into high consideration. Of course while the idea of a free period may seem glamorous to any Norwalk High student, a great idea doesn’t come without controversy.

            “Supervision and security are huge issues,” agrees both Mr. Mecca and Mr. Welsh. The truth is, with as many as one hundred fifty students roaming around the hall, keeping the school and its students safe would be a near impossible task.

Still, certain regulations may allow a free period to become possible in the future. Test runs could be made and as of right now, if any free period were to be given out, it would be for seniors only.

Another problem haunting the free period idea is the fact that teenagers just tend to get in trouble sometimes. That is why another regulation could be put into play allowing only seniors with a moderate to high GPA to participate, after all a repeat of 1976 in which seniors from Norwalk High could go get a beer and come back in time for their next class.

The final issue with free period is how we define it. What truly is free period? Is it open campus in which students get to walk around the grounds of Norwalk High or is it a free for all in which students could go anywhere as long as they are back in time for their next period class. Clearly there is room for interpretation. If a better explanation for what exactly the students want were put into place, it would make the final decision a bit clearer.

“The whole idea seems appealing to students and very interesting but the truth is, it’s not in the school’s best interest at the time but it’s still a possibility!” states Ricky Josyln (’11), a member of the student council. Students will just have to continue voicing their opinions until a final decision is made.

Imagine a world at Norwalk High in which the bell rang for class and instead of going to study hall, you could walk around, go get pizza, or hang out around campus. Although the idea of a “free period” seems far fetched, it is actually a seriously considered topic at NHS.

            The idea of a free period was brought up at the last Norwalk High open session, in which students voice their opinions to student government. Some of these opinions are being taken into high consideration. Of course while the idea of a free period may seem glamorous to any Norwalk High student, a great idea doesn’t come without controversy.

            “Supervision and security are huge issues,” agrees both Mr. Mecca and Mr. Welsh. The truth is, with as many as one hundred fifty students roaming around the hall, keeping the school and its students safe would be a near impossible task.

Still, certain regulations may allow a free period to become possible in the future. Test runs could be made and as of right now, if any free period were to be given out, it would be for seniors only.

Another problem haunting the free period idea is the fact that teenagers just tend to get in trouble sometimes. That is why another regulation could be put into play allowing only seniors with a moderate to high GPA to participate, after all a repeat of 1976 in which seniors from Norwalk High could go get a beer and come back in time for their next class.

The final issue with free period is how we define it. What truly is free period? Is it open campus in which students get to walk around the grounds of Norwalk High or is it a free for all in which students could go anywhere as long as they are back in time for their next period class. Clearly there is room for interpretation. If a better explanation for what exactly the students want were put into place, it would make the final decision a bit clearer.

“The whole idea seems appealing to students and very interesting but the truth is, it’s not in the school’s best interest at the time but it’s still a possibility!” states Ricky Josyln (’11), a member of the student council. Students will just have to continue voicing their opinions until a final decision is made.