LASA teachers have somewhat of a tradition involving hall passes. Teachers have crazy passes, from student-sized staffs to actual toilet seats,

Teachers have complete creative freedom when it comes to their hall passes. This means a lot of teachers have weird and wacky passes. Although having an interesting hall pass can seem like it’s just for fun, it can be helpful to have a more recognizable hall pass. Hall passes can also represent a classroom and what that class is teaching. Having a more recognizable hall pass also means students might be more likely to remember, and it wouldn’t get lost or stolen. Many teachers also rotate between hall passes. Orchestra teacher Luzvic Backstrom has had many different hall passes.

“Right now it’s a violin. Last year it used to be half of a bass. We did art with it, and then that’s what we used. The problem was that it was so big, that people would steal it,” Backstrom said.

French teacher, Rachel Pate, has yellow-smiley-face balloon as her hall pass. She was given two of them for her birthday by the Japanese teacher, but a student lost one. Pate said that the student felt bad but it was really funny.

“I just thought it was something fun, funny, and silly for my students to take,” Pate said. “Something that was noticeable and that was recognizable.”

Having a recognizable pass is also important for teachers so that their students remember the pass is there. The AVP teacher Vanessa Mokry has a golden film reel for her hall pass.

“I had something else, but it just didn’t make sense and people didn’t use it or see it,” Mokry said.

Hall passes can also be used to represent the class that the pass belongs too. Backstrom said that with her hall pass she tries to represent all of the instruments and showcase the art.

“I find it part of the identity of the students and of the community, it also represents the orchestra. It goes beyond the purpose of what the hall pass is.” Backstrom said.