3:15 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

I am chatting with Grant Hannemann in our weekly meeting for Vertigo, Naperville North’s Literary and Arts Magazine. Our beloved Executive Editor Kate Zhao enters the room excited to review the new art piece a student had submitted. She gathers our attention. Chromebooks are opened, snacks are passed out and phones are put on silent. We are all anticipating what will show up on Mrs. Parato’s projector. 

3:20 p.m.

Silence in the room as we look over the abstract art piece. People are whispering near the door while nibbling on their snacks. Our Managing Editor, Nichole Zhou, draws out our much-idolized “like and want” list on the whiteboard. 

Discussion begins, words are shared and controversial opinions drop jaws. Luka Perez goes on about the contrast and true meanings of art made by an anonymous artist. He makes the piece sound so much more than maybe even the artist intended. Grant and I share a look. Luka continues. Mrs. Parato is floored over how beautiful the student submission is and uses her famous line, “I want this in my house.” We are coming to final conclusions. A consensus is within reach. Kate surveys the room behind her glasses. As soon as Grant begins to share what they want from the piece…

“May I have your attention please. All students remaining in the building must be under the direct supervision of a teacher, coach, or sponsor. If you are a student remaining in the building who is not under the direct supervision of a teacher, coach or sponsor you need to leave the building immediately. Should you be waiting for a ride, you may do so at the main entrance or at the auditorium entrance. All students remaining in the building must be under the direct supervision of a teacher, coach, or sponsor. If you are a student remaining in the building who is not under the direct supervision of a teacher, coach or sponsor you need to leave the building immediately. Should you be waiting for a ride, you may do so at the main entrance or at the auditorium entrance. Thank you for your cooperation.”

These 40 seconds are filled with phones being turned on, side conversations with friends and students mouthing the words to the dreaded speech over and over again because every student involved in activities knows the words to the 3:30 announcement. 

3:30 p.m.

“Okay, what were we saying?” Kate calls out in an attempt to get the group back together. Grant and I are lost in conversation again about Homecoming plans. Nichole is still racking her brain with all the points Luka had made, while Kate is visibly frustrated. 

“The administration had good reason, it is a good policy to put into place. But, it’s a pretty long announcement. In Vertigo, we will get really into reviewing a piece and then we’ll have to stop and listen to this announcement. It’s either we stop and listen and break the rhythm of our opinions or speak over the announcement, which is impossible to do: there’s bound to be someone who says, ‘I can’t listen to two things at once,’” Zhao said. 

Zhao is right. Naperville North needs to ditch the 3:30 announcement. It’s clear why it exists and the reality of unsupervised kids in the building after school. Yet, I’ve never seen anyone quickly trying to make it out of the building once Chris Kunzer, a district IT employee who voices the announcement, comes over the intercom. 

But you can’t get rid of this infamous yet pointless announcement. 3:30 p.m. would be an uninterrupted time which hasn’t happened since the announcement was put into place over 15 years ago. Students collectively groan upon hearing the alert and bond over their experiences when sitting in clubs and being interrupted. 

According to NNHS Principal Stephanie Posey, “80% of our kids at any given time are engaged in athletics or activity. So a high level of our students should be in the building every day after school because we have a heavy participation across both of those areas.” 

This alone proves that the majority of these students are in the building and likely under the supervision of a teacher, coach or sponsor. It’s time for this announcement to leave the building, immediately.