New school bells draw mixed reviews
Students dislike new tones, but system has more features
After using the new bell system to signal the school, principal Timothy Schlotman reads the Pledge of Allegiance during the morning announcements on Feb. 17.
March 16, 2022
During winter break, Boone replaced the bell system, and now the popular question among students is “Why?”
According to principal Timothy Schlotman, the previous bell system was “old” and “outdated” and the new bell system might sound different, but it has a lot to offer
The new bell system includes more amplifiers that are newer, and allows the staff to make announcements in certain zones instead of the whole building. This change came along with the on-going construction.
Schlotman said he was “very happy to get a new modern system” but student responses to the new bell tones have been almost entirely negative.
“The sounds all seem awful, but I understand the need for an upgrade,” junior Liliana Flores said.
Multiple students said that the old bells were what they were used to, and the sounds were more pleasant.
Some students felt that the older bells were more distinguishable. The new systems have similar tones for the announcements and class changes.
“Our older bell tones were more traditional, and we were able to distinguish exactly when we were leaving,” junior Josie Whalen said.
Another popular opinion is that the new bells remind students of security alarms, which they consider “awful” and “goofy.”
The school administrators did try out some other tones, but, as Schlotman said, “The new system came with certain ringtones to choose from.”