For the past two years Hamburg Area High School allowed its students the option to use their lockers due to Covid-19. This was to avoid crowding and close contact among the students. As the 2022-2023 school year starts, most of the Covid-19 protocols and procedures no longer exist, so students are required to use their lockers. According to the student handbook, “Students are NOT permitted to carry book bags throughout the school day.” The handbook also states that book bags are to be placed in the lockers and stay there until the end of the school day.

     Kirra Goetz, a 10th grader at HAHS, says that so far she does not like using her locker this year. It is not that she prefers to carry around her book bag because it could become heavy at times, but that she feels she does not have enough time to put all her stuff away and make it to class. Kirra feels she is adjusting well to using it and remembering her combination. She uses her locker about two times a day. She uses it once in the morning before homeroom and then she gets all her stuff before she leaves for BCTC.

     Hannah Ortiz, a 10th grader at HAHS, says that over the past two years she has gotten used to carrying around her bookbag and prefers that over using her locker. There is not a lot of space near her locker, so she sometimes has a hard time getting her stuff and getting to class. Hannah is adjusting well to using her locker and is getting better at it. The last time she used a locker for her book bag was in 7th grade before the Covid-19 lockdown. She uses her locker about three times a day, once in the morning before homeroom, sometime during her school day, and again to get her stuff before leaving for BCTC.

     Mr. Marra, HAHS Vice Principal, states, “Locker usage was limited the last few years due to social distancing and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as things begin to normalize, we are now moving back to the utilization of lockers. Safety is the biggest reason for utilizing lockers throughout the day. Limiting backpacks and other large bags from being carried throughout the day helps to keep our school community safe and secure.”