Teachers prevented from giving DLT passes to their classrooms

From left to right: Senior Nathan Navarro, sophomore Donald Gregory, and sophomore Sebastian Biegaj do school work in Mr. Cangemis third period DLT.

From left to right: Senior Nathan Navarro, sophomore Donald Gregory, and sophomore Sebastian Biegaj do school work in Mr. Cangemi’s third period DLT.

Kellie Salmond, Staff Writer

Students can no longer get a pass to directed learning time (DLT) classes for teachers they do not have this school year. This is not a new rule, but it is now being strictly enforced by Principal Lisa Nemeth to ensure that teachers “focus their time on helping current students.”

Nemeth feels as though students should “try to form a relationship with their current teacher to help them master the content” before going to a previous teacher with whom they may be comfortable.

Some students are upset because they can’t reach out to their past teachers for help during a period when they do not have a class.

Principal Nemeth recommends that students “see that teacher after school or make a special appointment with them.”

Math teacher Jason Camp agrees with the reasoning behind this rule, but thinks “kids should be able to go to a teacher they feel comfortable with for help.” Camp reports that he has had several “students from last year wanting to come to my DLT for help with their current math homework.”

Senior Lauren Teixeira feels as though, “It’s very inconvenient due to the fact that some of my teachers last year understand my learning capability, and therefore can help me with the subject I’m struggling with this year.” Lauren also states it’s easier to “go to a past teacher for help during a DLT time rather than after school.”

Lauren is not the only student complaining, Camp says he has “… heard complaints from students. Mostly I have been hearing ‘This is so stupid’.”

Camp has tried to explain to his students the reasoning behind this rule, and how a DLT is not “time to chat and socialize” with one’s favorite teacher.

Nemeth says that the DLT is to benefit students. “The students should be using that time to ask their DLT for assistance or to seek out help from their teachers who may have a DLT at the same time.”