Due to a backup of shipments on the California coast, Arrowhead has faced a shortage of the toner used in the copying machines. This toner is needed for copying machines. In an email to staff, Becky Gordon, the North Campus Associate Principal, wrote that “our shipment [was] stuck on a boat outside of California.” 

The backup of shipments on the California coast is a current topic in the news as it is causing delays in the imports of any and all types of items into the US. 

According to the New York Post, as of September 25th, 2021, “A record 62 cargo ships are waiting to dock at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.” 

They explain this backup as a result of new COVID safety measures being implemented, combined with an increase in cargo volumes; saying that backups in the port have been occurring all year, yet they “ have only grown as the peak fall shipping season arrived,” said the New York Post.

The toner shortage heavily affected South campus as they were completely out of toner. North campus faced a very low amount of toner as they waited for orders of toner from Amazon. 

Gordon warned staff that there would be, “some adjustments in the two print rooms,” and asked teachers to “only submit work that is needed for the next week and nothing further out than that.” 

Joseph Paul, a History and Economics teacher, says that he, “ tried to wait [to print] in case teachers had something that was coming up this week that they could use the remaining toner.”  Telling us that he focused on being, “courteous.” 

Luckily, the toner shortage did not cause any delay in the classes of most teachers. This is due to the fact that anything that was not necessary to print was held off by teachers. Thus, allowing teachers to print the papers that they needed immediately.

As Arrowhead gains the needed toner, teachers are once again able to print. In reference to a unit packet for his AP Macroeconomics class, Paul says he is “really happy that it has worked out so I could give [students] the packet.” 

Finally, when referring to whether or not he was worried about another shortage like this one happening at Arrowhead again in the near future, Paul stated that he was “more worried…about Christmas presents.”

Conelly, Eileen. “LA port backup grows to record 62 ships as supply chain crunch worsens.” New York Post, September 25, 2021. LA port backup grows to 62 ships in supply chain crunch (nypost.com).