New school clothes won’t be the only thing students will be wearing in the fall of 2018. They will also need to have their school ID badge around their necks or clipped to their pockets.

On Thurs. April 5, an email was sent out to students and parents, which stated new guidelines for how student ID badges will be used.

The email stated the following: “In an effort to enhance accountability, Londonderry High School will now be using a scanning machine in our Welcome Center.  Starting tomorrow [Fri., April 6], students will now be able to scan their student ID cards when they arrive or return to school. This will automatically update student attendance and reflect it in real time.  Students will continue to be able to use their student ID cards in the Library Media Center as well as the Cafeteria.

Also, starting next year all students will be required to wear their student ID card while at school.”

The email also stated that if students are in need of a replacement ID card to please have them see Ms. Sullivan in House 4 to assist; however, admin is in the process of ordering replacement cards, so new cards cannot be issued at this time.

Not sure what this means for you? Here are the basics explaining the ID policy and procedures that will be fully in place next year:

• If you arrive on time to school (before 7:20), you will just enter school as you have this year without scanning your ID.
• If you arrive later than 7:20, you will have to scan your ID at the Welcome Center.  
• If you are leaving or being dismissed before 1:58, you will have to scan your ID card.
• You will be able to use your ID in the cafeteria, in the Library, and eventually for the new vending machines.
• Starting next year, students will have to wear their IDs on a lanyard or a clip, so it is visible at all times during the school day.

Principal Mr. Parent said he wants students to use their school IDs and have it not just be another card in their wallet.

“Now the cards have a purpose,” Parent said. “Before you just got a card with your picture on it and what’d you use it for? Nothing.” 

According to Parent, students will only need to scan their IDs if they’re late or leaving early. 

“There are barcodes on the ID that allow you to scan in if you’re tardy or being dismissed,” Parent said. “Not every student who walks in needs to scan in. That would take a long time.”

Mrs. Gudrow, who runs the Welcome Center, said she is “excited” that students who have late arrival or who are late to school will be able to scan their IDs rather than waiting in long lines every day to sign in. For now, however, if students don’t have their IDs, they can sign in like they normally would, according to Gudrow.

“If you have your ID, then we’d like you to use it,” Gudrow said, “because we’re still working out the kinks with the new scanner.”

Parent is finding other uses for the IDs as well.

 “We are syncing it with the cafeteria for purchases for food,” Parent said. “You can use it in the library and maybe the vending machines as well.”

Safety is one of the reasons Parent cited for next year’s new policy, which will require students to wear their IDs during the school day.

“With a student body of 1500 students in a Division I school, it’s always a good idea to have some type of identification that you guys can carry on you,” Parent said.  “We want to have students have some sort of clip or lanyard just to have it on them. [Otherwise], they will probably forget it is there.”

Even though safety is very important to Parent, he said it didn’t “drive the decision to make the adjustment.” However, he said it was “one of the many reasons why.”

After students got word of the email, they had some questions about the new policy.

“I was wondering why they are starting this in the middle of the year,” sophomore Hailey Mosher said. “I feel like if your parents didn’t tell you about it, how would you know?”

According to Goodrow, the reason they started using the scanner this late in the year is because then they’ll have a few months to fix any problems that arise with the new scanner. Those students who don’t have IDs this year will still use the regular sign-in sheet at the Welcome Center.

Goodrow asks those who do have IDs to try out the new scanner, so Goodrow and administrators can see what is working and what isn’t.  Those students will then also sign in on a different sheet, so there is a record to track how the scanner is working.

Other students like junior Sera Jacob are unsure how this new policy will be enforced.

“What is going to happen to the kids who refuse to do this?” Jacob asked.

Parent said if students aren’t wearing their IDs, then it would fall under the discipline category of “failure to follow administrative instruction.”  The student would first get a warning, then a detention and if the behavior continues, the student could have a more serious consequence.

Overall, Parent hopes this policy will help students be more efficient since they will be able to use their IDs in a more practical manner.

“We’re looking to maximize the benefits of your student ID,” Parent said.