Bumping. Shoving. No space to move. If you walk through the Helena High hallways during the time in between period of classes, you will experience this inconvenience. Peer into classrooms and see desks full of students.

Helena High had been in violation of Montana Public Schools law of overcrowded classrooms. OPI in early September stated that Helena High was overcrowded by 18 classes.

However, Helena High superintendent Steve Thennis stated that OPI took the numbers from last year, in which Helena High had an influx of freshman, and the problems have been solved and helped the administration decide how to manage the large amount of students for this school year.

Contradictingly in a student poll, over 77% stated that at least one of their classes is in fact “overcrowded” in their opinion.

Emma Dole, a junior at Helena High stated, “The hallways are such a challenge to get through, it feels like you are just avoiding people at all times.”

As well as Dole, another HHS student Tyler Ballweber, a senior, said, “The hallways are way too congested and it because an inconvenience to move from class to class. I also believe that some classes are way too full.”

But, according to the OPI standards an “overcrowded” classroom contains more than 30 students and Helena High’s average class size is 20 students per classroom.

Although Helena High has not been in violation since the beginning of last year; at least according to OPI standards not close to being overcrowded, students still feel crunched and unable to move from class to class without bumping into someone or being shoved into lockers. Perhaps it is a good thing the OPI does not have a law concerning over crowded hallways.Grace Emens