By Mary O’KEEFE

Crescenta Valley High School seniors discovered a few changes on Tuesday as they lined up for their schedules and books.
“There were kids here at 4:30 this morning. There was no need. They were not getting on campus until 8 [a.m.],” said Associate Principal Mike Bertram.
In the past students had been able to get on campus early
and get lockers for themselves, their friends and even extra lockers. That covered the bases of getting a locker near their classes.
After about a week those extra lockers would be checked by the administration and those not occupied would have the locks clipped
off.
That isn’t the way things are being organized this year however with new principal Michele Doll.
“The students have to get their schedule first then they will be allowed to get their locker,” Doll said.
Doll said it is only fair that everyone, including lower classmen, get a chance for a locker. In addition to having to show their pink schedule to administrators and volunteer parents before racing for those most coveted lockers, which in CVHS-land is the 5000 building, students were also guided off campus before the 8 a.m. day began.
“We came in and cleared kids out,” Doll added.
In the past students would get on campus and wait. Although the gates were locked and a majority of the students followed procedure and waited outside some jumped the fence while others entered from the track and field.  Most of those students were escorted off the campus.
An announcement was made that any student who was on campus before the 8 a.m. official opening would be taken to the cafeteria where they could wait comfortably until everyone else had received their schedules.
All of these procedures were an effort to organize and make the process of getting books, a locker and schedule more organized and fair.  The organization was obvious as the usual crush to the schedule window was calmer this year than in the past.  That was in part to the ever-watchful eye of the associate principal.
“Young lady.  Go to the back of the line.  Young man, you too,” Bertram said.
Bertram stood on a bench overlooking the long line, policing those trying to cut in front of others.  When students were caught they just smiled and went to the back of the line.  CV students caught on pretty fast this was the way things were going to run and the line moved quickly.
Tradition dies hard at CVHS so there were some students, who did sneak in early, cut in line and acquired more than one locker but overall most students adapted to the new rules.
Advice for freshman, from some seniors interviewed, was to take what locker they can get. Freshmen are the last to get their schedules and lockers.
“Go to freshman village [third floor of 2000 and 1000 building].  Get a locker and wait the four years to get the locker you really want,” advised senior Annie
“That’s what we all did.”
The lines at the counselors were a little shorter this year as well. Students who have problems with their schedule must wait for their counsel and plead their case for change or adjust a mistake.
“The counselors spent a lot of time going over the schedules to clean them up.  If there were any holes they were filled,” Doll said.
The one thing that didn’t change was the book line.  Students trailed down into the parking lot of the lower level of the book room while mom’s and volunteer students rushed back and forth to fulfill the student’s class book requirements.
“We have changed [software] so we are getting used to the [process],” said Sharon Mark.
For about ten years Mark has overseen the book delivery.  She scans the books before they are given to a student and monitors the records throughout the years of what student has returned and not returned books.  She said this is all kept in the computer but it is not uncommon that Mark remembers a student that has not yet turned in a book before referring to the computer.
The process is down to a science now as a seemingly never-ending line of students’ hand their schedule to a volunteer who retrieves the books, they are then logged into the computer and handed to the student.
“I couldn’t do it without the help of these volunteers,” she said.
As the day ended, at about 11 a.m., the schedules and books were handed out and friends caught up with each other the campus became quiet as students enjoy their last few days of summer.
CJ Stanley, Brendon Mulligan and Michael Sassounian stood in an almost empty corridor opening and shutting a locker door; apparently testing it’s endurance. There were no locks on any of these lockers so they had their choice.
“Finding the right locker is fairly important,” Mulligan said.
All three said they were happy with their classes and all, well most, of their teachers.  When asked if they were thinking about college and the future Mulligan said,  “Actually after we get our locker we are just thinking about food.”
“Where to go for lunch we’ve been here since early this morning,” Sassounian added.
“I was thinking a little about college,” Stanley said.
“No you weren’t,” Mulligan said.
“No I wasn’t.  I was thinking about food,” he said.
Rules may change but high school boys are consistent.