Board hears long discussion of a proposed Smart Pass hall‑pass system and flex schedule pilot

Building leaders spent a substantial portion of the March 26 meeting describing a proposal to pilot a digital Smart Pass hall‑pass and a flex/advisory schedule intended to provide targeted interventions, reduce hallway congregations and supply data on student movement.

"There's all sorts of data that you can tap into," one building leader said, describing features that would record when, where and how often students leave class. The leader said the district could set daily pass limits, restrict simultaneous passes to prevent congregating, and use the system to identify students who need intervention or enrichment.

Board members raised operational questions: whether students would carry Chromebooks to restrooms or use kiosks; how teachers would be held accountable for timely grade and assignment updates so interventions are effective; and whether advisory and flex periods would overlap or be combined. Staff proposed a 30‑minute morning block that would sometimes be advisory and other days flex time (for example, flex on Monday/Wednesday/Friday and advisory on other days), with a phased rollout that includes staff training over the summer and a possible May trial of the hall‑pass function.

Proponents said the Smart Pass system would be more reliable than paper passes and could help quickly identify who was in a space if an incident occurred; critics warned the system would require training, adjustments to teacher workflows, and workarounds for classes where Chromebooks are not used.

Staff said they do not expect the final schedule plan to be ready by the end of the current school year but aim to pilot hall‑pass features in May and complete staff training over the summer if the board chooses to proceed. The district will continue to refine details, including pass limits, kiosk locations, and processes for students without Chromebooks.