Every morning at 7:10 a.m., the Wilde Lake doors unlock and students cram together to enter the school building.

This year, administration is not allowing students to enter the building until 7:10, the contracted teacher start time. According to Mr. Wilson, this is to ensure the safety of the students

“It minimizes the opportunity for someone who doesn’t belong in Wilde Lake to be in our building,” he said. Last year, students were allowed to enter the building as early as 6:15. Students gathered on mainstreet, went to the media centered to hang out and complete work, and visited teacher classrooms.

This year, bus riders wait on busses until they are released and walkers wait outside the doors until 7:10.

Junior Zoe Davidson waits on her bus for 15 minutes after arriving at school. “I wish the buses would come later to my house so that I could have more time in the morning,” she said.

When winter weather conditions worsen, administration says they will allow students to congregate in an appropriate area such as the cafeteria instead of waiting outside.

According to junior Haley Lynch,  there isn’t enough time to meet with teachers and prepare for the school day.

“There’s only a maximum of 15 minutes from the time I enter the building until I have to be in class. I need a few more minutes to get to my locker and to get breakfast. I used to be able to do everything, but now I don’t have time,” said Lynch.

The media center has also made changes to their morning. Library specialists Ms. Bailey and Ms. Palmateer are changing their rules for the first time in years, and all for the benefit of students.

“It’s a big change,” said Ms. Palmateer. “There are pluses and minuses. I like that there aren’t already students in the media center who have been unsupervised. On the other hand, the media center was a good social situation,” said Ms. Bailey. “We could help people, and it wasn’t the rush we have now. It’s hard on [the students] because if you came to the media center last year we were strict to the bell, but now we let kids come to the last minute.”

Mr. Wilson knows there’s been controversy about the new policy. “But it’s for the safety of our students,” he said.