As of January 27, automatic traffic arms have been installed adjacent to the guard shack on the driveway when entering and exiting Sage. The implementation of this new system is primarily to ensure the safety of students leaving campus during the school day, according to school officials. Likewise, the arms’ intentions are to increase efficiency when exiting campus during free blocks and excused absences. 

  “The essential purpose of the new mechanism is to provide a more secure way for students to enter and exit campus efficiently. By monitoring who comes onto campus, we have more control over the safety of our school,” said a member of the facilities team, who did not want to be identified.

The school emphasized safety in promoting the new system.

“Do not attempt to follow another vehicle through an open arm (tailgate.) Doing so will result in damage to your vehicle! The arms automatically close after every vehicle,” according to an email sent to both parents and students.

Though the new arm system is still new to the school and being troubleshooted, the optimal goal is for students to have programmed stickers that the gate system could recognize in order to authorize the dismissal of students. 

“Decals or transponders will be activated based on schedules and access abilities per the students’ free blocks and excused absences,” said CFO Jill Livermore. 

Each sticker will be programmed for the individual student and exiting campus will have a much more efficient outcome. As of the end of this school year or beginning of next school year in August, the programmed stickers will be incrementally rolled out. 

By streamlining a system with encoded recognition, students will be able to exit and enter campus more quickly. 

However, students have differing opinions about the effectiveness of the new system.

“I’m uncertain about the effectiveness of the arm since I’ve observed slower traffic patterns when entering and exiting the school for the past few weeks since it’s been put into place” said senior Karina Grover. 

Other students are apprehensive about the rollout of the arm, since the decal system has not yet been activated.

“When I first heard that there was an arm I expected a scanning system for students with exit passes; however, that has not been the case with what I’ve observed and I think it’s a waste of both money and time” said senior Alicia Theologides Rodriguez. 

Some students anticipate the arm’s efficiency and look forward to the improvements it may provide. 

“I think the arm is a great way to ensure the safety of the students while making leaving and coming back to campus much more efficient. If I’m being honest, I am actually quite surprised that we have not yet implemented a system like this in the past” said senior Linda Hachim. 

No matter the case right now, it is evident that changes will be made as the facilities team analyzed the most efficient way to keep students safe.