HIT: Limit on Students from Study Hall?

[Gabe Gancarz <gancarz@ENTERACT.COM>]

BEGIN HIT PART 2:

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We have had (?and are having?) complaints last year on limiting the number
of students from the seminar period which technically meets every other
day (but some days are assemblies, etc.) when all students are in seminar
and are to use it academically.  We did not limit the first 3 or 4 times
and began to see a pattern of friends coming down to sit with friends and
visit, so we required that they pick up a pass anytime ahead of the
passing bell.

Supposedly there were complaints so adm. opened it up to all 1900
students.  We had 110 seats and 200+ students with approx. 40 or 50 that
needed to be there unfortunately.  With adm. blessings we are back to
passes picked up ahead of time in the cafeteria during lunch, which means
someone has to be over there during 4 lunches.  But we haven't been told
of complaints altho I am sure there will be some.

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Our students are only in study hall if they are in academic trouble.  So,
I do limit those kids.  If they want to leave a supervised study hall to
come to the library they must give the study hall keeper a note (which
they *already* have) from a teacher or from me saying that they have work
which must be done in the library.  My faculty endorses this 100%, as it
keeps the academic risks under supervision and, also, forces those same
kids to plan ahead - a skill most of them seem to be lacking, anyway.

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I make a study hall pass that the study hall teachers must use in order to
send students to the library.  Only 7 students are allowed to visit from
each group of 30 in the 7th & 8th grade, and only 6 from the 6th grade
study halls.

My teachers are very supportive of the rules and it helps me and the
students be productive.  I also have walk-ins from classes so I am very
busy in the library constantly.  I limit the number of students that can
read magazines to one per group of 7.

So many students visit the library with "nothing to do" that I also have
the students list the reason they are visiting next to their name.  if
they aren't doing what they have written that they need to do I ask them
to leave.  It all sounds very anal, but it works.

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Yes, I do limit the number of students who are allowed to come to the
library.  At the beginning of the school year I get a master study hall
list, so I have an idea as to when there are study halls and how many.  I
then send notices to our teachers stating how many students are allowed to
come to the library for each period of the day.  I figure I should not
have any more students in the library than a regular classroom teacher
has, so that is how I determine the number of students allowed.

I have the support of my administration in this and the faculty does not
question it.

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When I was in a high school situation, the "study hall thing" was getting
way out of control.  I sought and received administrative support.  We
established a policy wherein no more than 5 students from any one study
hall could come to the library - we sometimes had in excess of 9 study
halls going at once and a very small library for the size of the student
body. We would make exceptions on a true as needed basis.  (We were also
dealing with one or two whole classes per period.)

The assistant principal checked my sign-in sheets daily and if there were
study hall teachers not abiding by the policy SHE called them and asked
them to explain why!  Worked really well.

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I think you have to look at the number of study halls at any one time and
determine how many students you can realistically attend to.  I limited my
number to six per study hall.  I would also allow teachers to check and
see it I could take more in.  I usually required that they wait at least
15 minutes so I could see my load.

When I explained what was happening with the crowds most teachers were
supportive.  Since I did this I also was very diligent about making sure
the students were using library resources.

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We limit our numbers here.  We're a much smaller school - 375 kids. I
can't imagine dealing with the numbers you've got.  On the other hand, I
only have one part-time aide.  Half the day it's just me.

Any given period, there's only one studyhall happening in the building.
My predecessor set the limit at 20 and I've kept it there.  No complaints
from faculty/administration and only occasional whining from kids.  They
have to sign up before school and I've been very firm about not letting
them beg their way in if they didn't plan ahead.  They learn pretty
quickly (except for a small number who consistently forget - generally the
same kids who are loud and disruptive when they do come in).  It puts the
responsibility in their hands, not mine.

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Our high school limits the number of students coming to the library from
each study hall. There are 3 study halls each of the 7 periods that send
students to the library. If two classes have reserved the library, then I
close it to study halls.  However, I am also getting the students, who are
least productive.

When I return the study hall list noting who was here, I note that a
student did no work. Some faculty are cooperative and do not send the
student for a few days. Others continue to send the student, and then I
have the choice of "writing up" the student for disruptive behavior or
continuing to put up with the behavior.

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I try to limit the number of students who come from study hall or a class
with a pass to 3 per teacher.  This seems restrictive even to me, but with
1300 students, a small library (fire code says no more than 70 people) a
big demand for time with entire classes from teachers, and no other adult
help, I simply can't deal with 35-40 kids with their teacher doing
research and another 30 or 40 from classes or study hall who have a vague
assignment or who want to socialize rather than do their work.

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END HIT PART 2

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