Over summer break, all the classroom and hallway lights in Shawnee Mission Northwest were replaced. New lights were installed in all five high schools across the district. According to Shawnee Mission School District building manager Branden Johnson, this is the first full building-wide lighting upgrade. 

One feature of the new lighting is that it is dimmable. Teachers can choose how bright to set the overhead lights in their classrooms.

Northwest’s new lights have created a largely negative response among students. According to a poll by the Northwest Passage, 76% of students responded that the new lights were too bright. Students complain of headaches induced by the brightness of the lights. 

“Even when they’re dim, they’re still somehow bright,” senior Sam Schill said.

The new lights also appear cooler in tone, as opposed to the “yellow-ish” old lights. 

A study from Ball State University explains that warm toned lighting has been linked to positively impacting alertness, attitude, and energy level. 

Johnson said that the school district spent $3,364,769 on new lighting in all five high schools.