On December 12, 2023, voters in Madison approved all three phases of the referendum that would see massive changes occur in all public Madison schools.
The referendum brought massive changes in the way students at Madison High School operate as many things changed, including: the addition of vape detectors, a new pass operating system, a stricter phone policy as well as a new security guard at the front of the school (Mr. Thomas) to let students into the building.
Madison High school first got rid of smartpass for a new application called Securly. Many students were left confused as Securely allows fewer students to use the lavatory at any time. Ms. Mcguire, the secretary at Madison High School, stated of the change: “I like Securly, they have different features that were able to be used. Once everybody gets the hang of it, I think we’re gonna like it better.”
The administration at Madison High School, also has been cracking down on phone usage. Many students were surprised to see them not being able to take them out in the hallways or at the end of classes. The amount of students getting their phone sent down to the office has increased dramatically since last year. It is scientifically proven that students’ usage of phones in class makes them less productive at the tasks at hand. The policy hopes to increase the productivity of students in class
Additionally the high school added vape detectors to the majority of bathrooms around the school to crack down on students’ use of smoking devices and other paraphernalia. The high school added these into the bathrooms due to the excessive use of vapes, and e-cigarettes in the prior school year. The addition of vape detectors has been very effective as the amount of students engaging in smoking has decreased significantly.
Lastly for safety reasons, the high school got rid of the buzzer at the front door, and added Mr. Thomas, a retired police officer, to check both students and visitors in. Mr. Drechsel, the principal of Madison High School, said they made the switch because having “a door monitor definitely helps out and keeps everyone safe. Our secretaries don’t have to police the front door anymore which saves everyone time.” This was a big change to students, especially because before the addition of Mr. Thomas, during the cold winter months, they had to wait at the front door for a period of time to be let inside the school, that is no longer the case.