TOWAMENCIN- Most sophomores have yet to master the stressful and chaotic rush to get dressed and comb their hair within the allotted five minute time frame at the conclusion of swim class. This is a task that is functionally impossible even though it is attempted daily. Even if you have become the Michael Phelps of the class and are regularly first out of the pool, you still manage to leave a soaking trail in the halls and a pool of water on the student’s desk behind you. Actually drying your hair isn’t an option as all the dryers are dominated by the same students (sigh). Luckily, most students have taken the high road and have used the water trail to help keep our sparkling school clean.

To the much expected delight of water logged students, North Penn will announce changes effective immediately that will address wet chlorinated hair. Starting in April the Swimming Salon will be run inside of the pool room and will be open to all students who take swim classes. The hair salon will provide students with wash bowls, towels, a variety of different shampoos and conditioners, combs and brushes, blow dryers, flat irons and curlers, and a variety of hair products. The school has also decided to rearrange student schedules so that no student will have any classes in the period following swimming.

Sophomore Patti Sue Paddle was excited to learn of the changes. “Oh, my goodness, this is a great change! I had been packing an extra towel in my back pack, but after I snuck and dried my hair in my next class my books were getting wet and I couldn’t read the words as the ink would run. With these changes I fully expect to get my grades back up to C’s almost immediately!”

Swim teacher Kathryn Grunmeier also praised the change. “Girls and guys are now able to get their hair ‘did’ in all the fashionable ways, rather than going to class with something that resembles a wet mop on their head.” Grunmeier also shared her personal story. “Over the years we’ve had a lot of complaints from students and parents about damaged hair. The amount of split ends by the end of the school year was ridiculous, so we decided to place a hair salon in the pool area to help everyone out. In addition there have been a few complaints that my hair is just awful these days, and people wanted to help my lost cause. A few people suggested the idea to help my hair game.”

No doubt, chlorine is very damaging to the hair. Teachers are there to guide students and help them grow both educationally and in confidence. Several North Penn teachers, who requested anonymity, reported seeing the negative effects that bad hair has on student confidence. Said one, “I’ve seen many drenched kids squeaking through the hallways and into my class with distressed looks on their faces and I know they are crying out for help. The school board had to address this.” The decision was made that guys and gals would not have to sacrifice their long or short or curly locks in order to graduate.

The swimming salon will open at 7:00 every morning and salon services will be available after every swimming class until 3:00 every day. If you’d like something special, appointments can be made in the pool office. Teachers looking to bring their look into the millennium will be allowed to use the services from 3:00 to 5:00, but will have to commit to an additional 4 hours per week to tutor students.

Patti Sue Paddle thinks this is a win win for students. “More tutoring and a perfect head of hair! The teachers being able to get rid of their 90’s style will give them a good feeling about themselves and maybe they will start grading on a curve.”

Though swim is already enjoyable for many, having access to a hair salon makes the process much smoother.

“Girls already LOVE swimming class, but now being able to have good hair right after being in the pool will make it even better and more enjoyable. If a girl makes an appointment in the salon, she will even get extra time after class to get changed and ready to impress all of North Penn.”

The showers and blow dryers will still be open in the locker rooms for those students who prefer the traditional North Penn experience of 30 degree water and holding your head under a sparking blow dryer. The rest of the sophomore class, though, is sure to have Beyonce’s blow in the wind hair after every swim class because of the new changes.

“The chlorine in the pool can do major damage to a girls long locks, so once the salon opens, we are hoping for healthier, shinier hair for everyone. Then with everyone feeling more confident with all of the good hair, we are hoping to see a boost in everyone’s morale. It is definitely part of our job as health and physical education teachers to help boost everyone’s overall health, which includes the health of everyone’s hair,” shared the school administrators.