At many schools, the main entrance is the primary way students enter the building when school begins. However, students at Danbury High School say that it has been difficult to use that entrance, especially during bad weather. The idea of having scanners near the gym entrance has recently sparked discussion among students and staff regarding safety, convenience, and staffing.

For some students, walking to the main entrance has been a daily challenge. Sophia Barzelatto, a senior who parks by the gym entrance, explains that the route can be difficult because of the condition of the walkway. Barzelatto said that walking to the entrance “ruins shoes, takes five minutes, and requires walking through numerous deep potholes.” The distance also adds extra time to her morning routine, she said.

Weather has made the situation even more challenging because of icy conditions and snow during the winter, which can make the walk dangerous. Barzelatto said that the school did not always shovel or salt the steps well enough, forcing students to walk across ice and deep snow. “I’ve fallen numerous times and even have permanent scars from falling on icy sidewalks.”

According to Barzelatto, the gym entrance is much closer to the student parking. She said it would take about 30 seconds to enter the building there, compared with walking to the main entrance, which could take up to seven minutes, sometimes making students late to class. “A gym scanner would help our students get to class on time,” she said.

However, Danbury High School Principal Dan Donovan said he does not believe the change would reduce tardiness. “Arriving at school four minutes earlier would have the same effect,” he said.

Donovan also explained that staffing is a major issue. The school is “currently short on safety advocates,” and someone would need to be stationed at the gym entrance at all times. Because of this, he said the school needs to keep a single point of entry once the school day begins. He added that safety advocates also need to be stationed throughout the building “to ensure students are going to class and not just walking around.”

While some students believe having a gym entrance scanner would improve safety and convenience, Donovan argues that security and staffing challenges make the change difficult to implement. Donovan added, “Students have been walking up the side stairs since before I arrived. This year’s students should be able to do the same.”