An estimated 500 sophomores walked into their Den classrooms on August 24th. After nine months of being the lowest rung on the high school ladder, these kids were confident, and ready for their sophomore years.

But for students with a last name that falls into the bottom half of the alphabet, what greeted them at their desks was completely unexpected.

All of KPARK’s 2015-2016 student ID badges had been printed with the bell schedule on the back, except for this half of the sophomores. Immediately there were questions. Why was it that only part of the sophomores didn’t receive the schedule?

Those without the schedule quickly found something else out at well – the bar codes on their badges they they used to get school lunch and check out books, did not work. Some wondered if the school had something against them, and there was a consistent reaction of shock and disappointment when the students lacking the bell schedule realized what many of their friends had, that they did not.

“I felt kind of left out, and kind of hurt,,” said sophomore Kat Smith, one of the many who were affected.

Lexi Young E10, who first found out her bar code did not work when she tried to check out a textbook, received information information early.

“I went to the house office, and they told me they were going to reprint them, “ she said.

She also learned that the reprint would be done within the week.

Her information proved correct when only a couple days later, announcements were made that students whose badges did not work were to get new ones at lunch. Some were passed out during the first week the first week assemblies as well.

But why was there a problem in the first place, if it was to be remedied so quickly?

“We were running out of ink the last day before school started,” said Rachel Miller, house secretary. “In order to be able to print everyone’s badges, we had to reduce the amount of ink we were using..”

This resulted in the absence of the bell schedule. The bar codes were moved to the front of the IDs, also in an effort to save ink. However, they were put into the wrong format, making them useless.

Sophomores were the group affected for the spectacular reason that their badges happened to be printed last. The badges were printed with ink on both sides last year as well, but it seems that the addition of the bell schedule used up just enough additional ink to cause the problem.

The administration borrowed ink cartridges from both Kingwood High School and Riverwood Middle School to accomplish the reprint, and are ordering more of their own.

The first week of school is over, and so is the great schedule scandal. All sophomores have now received functioning badges, and a great majority have been pleased with the new addition of the bell schedule to this year’s IDs. Senior Tess Kelley is one example.

“I like that I don’t have to have it on my phone, and then try to sneak my phone out and not get caught,” she said.