It seems safe to say that every high school has morning or afternoon announcements that inform students about clubs, sports, meetings deadlines, and whatever else they may need to be informed about. But what happens when a school decides to take away those announcements? How do the students find necessary information? A bulletin board? Flyers? Do teachers inform the students?

Well, VHS has decided to go with flat-screen televisions. In the middle of the 2012-2013 school year, VHS decided to take away the announcements and try something new. Three flat-screen televisions are now fixed to the wall in locations that the SCA and Mr. Cesa thought would be seen by the most students: the lobby, cafeteria, and media center. Each television scrolls announcements, all throughout the day, that would have been said over the loudspeaker if we still had traditional announcements.

In theory, replacing the announcements seemed like a good idea, but some students believe it’s not working.

“I don’t have the time to stand and watch the TV scroll through every announcement until the one announcement that applies to me shows up on the screen,” says junior Matt Braschi, giving voice to a complaint many students seem to have.

Another discussion that the new TVs have caused is a financial one. Although the televisions were donated, some students feel that the donated money could have funded something more useful such as new books or computers.

“I think they’re a giant waste,” senior Marco DiGrado says. “The school needs things such as text books for the classrooms, not flat screen TVs. “

One of the reasons the school was said to have taken away the afternoon announcements was to give teachers extra time to finish their lesson during the last block of the day. Before the announcements were taken away, every day at around 2:27 they would come on and that would unofficially mark the end of class, for most teachers at least. Now the teachers know they have the full period to finish their lesson and won’t get cut off by the announcements.

“I think having afternoon announcements was a big distraction in the classroom,” sophomore Paul Chanley says, “sometimes kids would tune out the teacher because they knew the announcements were coming on soon, but that doesn’t happen anymore.”

While some students feel very strongly about their opinions on whether or not we should have the televisions, math teacher Danielle Pico feels we should have both announcements and the televisions.

“The announcements are good because everyone in the school hears them,” Mrs. Pico explains, “but the TVs are good if you miss an announcement because then you can check the TV and it’ll be up there.”

Whether or not you’re in favor of the new TVs is your opinion. As of now, having the TVs as the main source of announcements is something students have to adjust to. If students need to find something out such as when a meeting or sports practice is, standing in front of the TV for however long may be your best and only option for the time being.