Introducing Knights Pass in our school has been a game-changer for students and teachers alike, greatly improving the overall school environment. With continued effort
s from educational institutions to improve student performance, behavior, and attendance, implementing systems such as Knights Pass has seen numerous positive results.
The Knights Pass system was implemented after the 2022-2023 school year. It was developed due to staff feedback concerning hallway behavior, truancy, and academic performance related to the Knight’s Block. The system’s architect, Dr. Schagrin, the Associate Principal for Curriculum at the school, worked with staff to craft a solution that would effectively address these concerns. According to a source, “Dr. Schagrin is a data-driven leader, and he would be a great person to discuss the specifics behind the data-driven decisions that created Knights Pass.”.
Knights Pass rewards students who demonstrate hard work and good habits and can earn privileges by giving them a structured yet flexible system to manage their time and responsibilities. Incentivizing positive student behaviors, such as punctuality and responsibility, the approach’s benefits are clear; it also reduces the burden of late work for teachers. With fewer late assignments to grade, teachers can cultivate deeper engagement with students rather than merely processing paperwork.
Also, Knights Pass has improved the school climate. Due to fewer students roaming the halls and acting disruptively, common areas such as hallways and study rooms have become quieter. This has created an increasingly attentive and productive environment for both students and teachers. One educator stated, “It benefits the overall climate of the school because the halls and common areas are more peaceful.”
Perhaps the greatest success of the Knights Pass system deals with student attendance. As recorded, student attendance has greatly increased since the program went into effect. The positive shift in attendance can be attributed directly to the students being more involved in their academic experience and structure that the study halls, along with the Knights Pass privileges, provide. As Mrs. Vecchie says, “Our data clearly shows our attendance rate is up,” further illustrating that this has been quite successful. The introduction of Knights Pass has been a transforming approach for both students and teachers, improving the school atmosphere immensely. Schools continue to look for ways to better student performance, behavior, and attendance; hence, the adoption of systems like Knights Pass has shown a variety of positive outcomes. It looks at the rewards involved in these programs and how they build a better learning environment.
By giving students a more regulated yet flexible system for handling their time and responsibilities, Knights Pass rewards students who work hard and build good habits with the opportunity to earn privileges. The advantages of this approach are rather obvious. Not only does it promote positive student behaviors such as punctuality and responsibility, but it also decreases teachers’ workloads when dealing with late work. With fewer late assignments to grade, educators are free to develop deeper student engagement rather than simply manage paperwork.
Though the teachers agree that the concept of Knights Passes has helped students, many students themselves have also agreed that Knights Passes have helped the school overall. Senior Claire House states that“[She] thinks the school is better with knight passes as it gives a little more organization to knights block.” With only having many students each period outside of their classes, the school overall is not as crowded and full of students just simply roaming the school.
The introduction to Knights Passes has helped students become better versions of themselves and earn better grades as the requirements for earning a pass include having a 70 or above in every class, having less than two tardies or unexcused absences, and having no problems with the deans. These rules are to be followed to ensure that students are well-behaved and have earned the privilege of having a knight’s pass. As these rules are set, many students try their hardest to keep their grades up and behaviors on top to assure them of receiving a pass. “I do think these requirements benefit students as they motivate them to keep their grades up,” said Freshman Kristine Romani.
The establishment of the Knight Passes has brought better change into the school and in students’ behavior and work as it has driven many students to keep up their grades and be on their behavior. Knight passes will continue to be seen as the years go by, as they have greatly improved the overall behavior of students.
