With the first day of the 2017-2018 school year now behind us, students and teachers both had a day of learning. Along with learning class courses, seating charts, and fellow classmates’ names, everyone received multiple informational talks on the new attendance policy, specifically seniors, myself included. After discussing the new policies and procedures with Mrs. Tomek and Mrs. Clegg, both Deans at LFHS, there was much to learn about the ongoings behind this new approach that I was previously unaware of.
When senior year finally rolls around for the students who have put in three years of school work into LFHS, they are excited for the senior privileges. However, last year rumors of revoking those privileges became true, but, contrary to popular belief, this was not done by the hands of the school. The new attendance policy is being implemented by demand of the state to increase student attendance and, therefore, school funding.
A lot of the senior students felt betrayed by the lack of freedom they were told to expect this school year. However, LFHS is fighting for its students. The deans are trying to let seniors have as much freedom as they can without stepping outside of the lines of the rules the state demands. Deans are going to each senior study hall and informing them of what seniors will be able to do. This includes being able to be called out of a first period study hall by a parent in order to sleep in as well as being able to go off campus with a pass during a study hall adjacent to your lunch period. Even though in years past seniors have had free periods and could do as they pleased, this is still much better than nothing. In response to this, the senior class should be thankful that they have the school fighting for them.
On another note, as stated in the previous article, there are 425 minutes in a school day and the state requires 300 of those minutes to be instructed time. However, with passing periods and lunch periods not being counted into those 425 minutes, there are really 360 minutes in the school day. Admittedly, I had failed to take those minutes into account at first glance.
It is still early in the first week of school and students and teachers are still adapting to the new attendance policy. While it may seem to irritate people now and seem unfair to students, the deans are working to get the bugs out and help out the students and any angry parents.
