In 2023, PCSSD restructured the Sylvan Hills feeder schools. Sylvan Hills Middle school went from grades 6-8 to sixth and seventh grades, and changed buildings. Even though we reduced our footprint by one grade, the building we moved to is significantly smaller and made it very challenging for our almost 800 students to transition between classes. The building is laid out with a single main hallway with arms that branch off from it. Most of these branches are on a single side of the building, but one branches off in both directions creating a 4-way intersection.
In the fall of 2024, Ms. Hum, our AVID coordinator, noticed an issue with this junction of the hallways. Her classroom is nearby, and as she monitored the hallways between classes observed how crowded this area was with everyone trying to push through to get to their next class. She approached EAST to see if we could help. Several students decided to work on the problem.
The students that took on this project began researching traffic flow to see what might work best for that intersection. They decided that a traffic circle (roundabout) would be the most effective way to improve the flow of traffic. At first, they just made arrows out of masking tape and enlisted teachers to help monitor the flow of traffic between classes. Within a couple of days it was evident that the roundabout was having a significant impact on reducing traffic issues in that area. This early success inspired the students to come up with a more permanent solution to the problem.
In order to solve this problem, the students realized that the project entailed several steps. They wanted visual indicators that would be durable and would be easy to see. They did research and found a printable floor vinyl that would work with our plotter. Then they went about designing arrows to fit the space using Adobe Illustrator. After several attempts to get the size and shape they wanted they printed them out and installed them in the intersection.
The group is working on a more comprehensive solution to the hallway traffic problem by creating lanes to maximize traffic flow as well as clear indicators of where they are expected to walk in the hallway. In addition, to reduce confusion, the group is making a short video to show students what they are expected to do and how to navigate the halls.
The project fills the C.A.R.T.
Critical Thinking: This project required the students to develop a multi-faceted solution to the issue of traffic in our hallways. They utilized software and hardware resources to address the problem and are working to insure a permanent solution.
Advance: This project made an impact from the beginning and the students really became invested in solving this problem permanently. They really took ownership of creating designs that would be easily visible and specific to our school. They worked to create information that would accurately explain the new system to students so that it would become a regular part of the student experience at SHMS.
Real: This project has a real impact on the students of our school and with the help of our community partner, Ms. Hum, they are improving the student experience on our campus.
Teamwork: The teamwork in this project is obvious because multiple students created and submitted designs and worked together to come up with the best solution to this issue. They actively engaged teachers to help insure that the student body was using the roundabout and helping reduce hallway traffic.