By Rowenn Jaeger

Every new school year at Granada Hills Charter (GHC) seems to bring on new apps.  From Parent Locker to SmartPass to Minga, students are finding themselves juggling logins, notifications, and rules across different platforms, all for the same common purpose of getting into school. Although school officials say these changes are meant to improve organization and efficiency, many students are left wondering: “Why do we keep switching, and is it really helping anyone?”

Parent Locker, SmartPass, and Minga all aim to streamline communication and daily routines with individual passes. Parent Locker allows families to track student schedules and announcements. SmartPass manages digital hall passes and helps teachers reduce classroom interruptions, which benefits both students and staff. 

So why did we switch to Minga for the 25-26 school year ? 

Minga focuses on school culture, event management, and student IDs. Something both Parent Locker and Smartpass couldn’t really do on their own. On paper, each app promises solutions to everyday school problems. 

But for students, learning a new system year after year feels less like progress and more like a cycle of confusion. Students say that adjusting to a new app takes time away from what really matters: learning.

“It just gets annoying,” senior Kairi Okida said. “You finally figure out how to use one app, and then they replace it with something else.” 

Others worry that switching apps makes communication less reliable. 

“Last year it was Smartpass, now it’s Minga. I feel like we are all wasting more time going through each app every year,” senior Adan Cardanas said. 

Some admit that certain features are helpful, like SmartPass making hall passes easier to track, but most agree the constant changes create unnecessary stress for not only the students but staff as well. 

Schools change platforms because companies update their services, safety changes, or a new app offers tools that better fit school needs.

“We could have stayed with Smartpass, but it couldn’t stay with us,” Administrative Director Julian Gomez said. “We need to go through all these platforms to see what fits Granada, the size of the school plays a huge part in this search.” 

For staff, features like attendance tracking, safety tools, or communication functions are often the deciding factors. Although students may feel frustrated at first, we have been told that the long-term benefits make the transition worthwhile, making it even more worth it in the end. 

The bigger question is: who really benefits from the constant switching? 

For administrators, having the right tools can improve safety, reduce classroom interruptions, and streamline communication. For teachers, apps can save time and make monitoring easier. But for students, the frequent changes often feel like added work with little reward.

“Honestly, it feels like the school benefits more than we do,” Cardanas admitted. “Most of the apps are designed to make things easier for staff, not students.”

With Minga currently in use, I know that students are wondering how long it will last before another new app takes its place. 

Will schools finally settle on one platform, or should students prepare for another switch next year? The answer still remains unclear. What is clear, though, is that the cycle of constant switching is wearing students down — and their voices suggest they want consistency more than new features. 

Although the app changes are meant to improve efficiency and safety, many students see only confusion and frustration. The question remains: is the constant switching really worth it, or is it time for schools to commit to one system and stick with it? Until then, students will keep downloading, logging in, and adapting, one app at a time.