NNPS Launching E-Hall Pass in Middle and High Schools

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Posted: December 7, 2023

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Newport News Public Schools continuously reexamines its practices and procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students. To strengthen hallway security measures in our middle schools and high schools, the school division is implementing E-Hall Pass, an online platform that allows students to request a hall pass from their teacher. Upon the teacher's electronic approval, the student may leave the classroom.

This new platform will assist school administrators with managing the number of students who are in the hallways during class time.

How Does E-Hall Pass Work?

Students can access E-Hall Pass through their Chromebooks. They may request a pass to leave the classroom to use the restroom, visit the clinic, or go to a water filling station. Teachers can view the request, see how many other students are in the hallways, and approve or withhold the pass with limited impact on classroom instruction. Students will not need to carry anything with them when they leave class since the e-hall pass system allows administrators and security staff to quickly confirm if a student has been issued a pass. The use of paper passes will be limited to specialized locations such as a school counselor's office or an administrator's office.

While students are out of the classroom, the pass system monitors how long they are gone so that teachers can focus on the remaining students in the classroom. School administrators and security staff can monitor active e-hall passes to ensure appropriate supervision in appropriate areas. They can quickly check in with students in the hallways to make sure they are authorized to be out of class. When students are out on a pass, staff can check their authorized presence in the hallway via the E-Hall Pass dashboard.

Whether in a real emergency or a practice drill situation, this information allows for greater awareness and security across the entire school campus.

Students will receive specific instructions on utilizing the E-Hall Pass.

When will E-Hall Pass be Implemented?

E-Hall Pass was tested in two middle schools and two high schools. The platform is rolling out gradually to all middle and high schools: