This year’s homecoming assembly will bring some changes to policy in an effort to ease traffic and crowds in the gym. Students are being asked to leave their backpacks in their first period room, rather than bringing them up to the bleachers, said Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones.

“In the past we’ve filled the gym for assemblies, she said, “and now we’ve gotten even a little bit bigger. That, coupled with the fact that if we had to have a quick exit, we would have to make the leaving of that building as smooth as possible, and minimize any safety risk. Therefore, we had to figure out the best way to deal with the size.”

Jones said that a group called “The Cabinet,” which includes the principal, the counselors, the assistant principals, the athletic director, and the ASB director, debated about several different options before settling on this system. “What we realized was that if we did anything other than having [students] leave their [backpacks] in period one, it would take too long to get down to the gym,” she said.

“I realize for some kids it may be a walk,” Jones continued, “but we live in Southern California. It’s beautiful out here. They’re young and healthy. They can do it… We’re gonna try it, and if it’s a disaster, we’ll try something different at the next assembly. The big thing we want to do is try and make our assemblies open to every single student and make them safe.”

The assembly will take place in the gym on Friday, Oct. 23, during homeroom.