School clarifies misconceptions on attendance policy
Rumors of “no excused absences” are misunderstood, administration clarifies.
November 6, 2019
Students are under the impression that there is a new attendance policy for the 2019-2020 school year. Understanding of the policy ranges from people thinking there are no excused absences, to people thinking there are more allotted absences this year. But such fears are unfounded, the administration said; la majority of the policies have remained the same, though there are a few alterations in this year’s attendance rules.
Since students are uncertain of the new guidelines, there are numerous rumors spreading about them. A majority of rumors include the idea that there are no excused absences anymore. Students like senior Brooke Schatz said they were under the impression that the administration has decided to abolish excused absences, regardless of the actual reason.
“I heard there are no excused absences anymore,” Schatz says. “This will make it a lot harder for seniors to get senior service.”
However, this is false. Vice Principal Juliann Hoebee reported that there are still excused absences and that the policies for senior service will remain the same.
“There’s no difference,” Hoebee said. “It’s just that some of the doctors’ notes are being more closely verified.”
Doctor’s notes will be examined more closely than they have been in the past to make sure they are legitimate, Hoebee said. The only real difference in the policy this year is that once a student hits 10 absences, there is a mandatory meeting between the teenagers’ parents and members of the administration. This is to discuss a plan to get the student back on track before they start losing credit for the class.
Some students see this as a negative because they sense it will get them in trouble. Sophomore Alissa Gallion, says she feels that the new attendance policy is unfair.
“It sounds like you will get in trouble a lot easier and a lot quicker,” she said. “I feel like if I go to the doctor I can still end up in trouble. That’s not fair.”
Many students have expressed fears that the policy is too strict. But the administration said the new policy is in service of only one goal: they “want kids to be in school, and they want them to learn,” Hoebee said.
