In the 2017-2018 school year HR administration has cracked down on unexcused absences and tardiness. On August 11th (Student Picture day), administration handed out a copy of the new policies regarding unexcused absences and tardies to all students that attended.

  Last year, tardiness and unexcused absences were a huge problem for security, administration, and teachers at HR.  “It was a lot of just kids hanging out in the halls, not going to class. They just wanted to socialize more. It was a real struggle last year trying to get them back to class,” said security guard Josh Chadwick. “The optics of [the amount of kids missing class] were glaring. I mean it was staring us in our face,” Chris Page, principal, said.

 Many of the HR staff members desired a stricter policy as well. “A number of our teachers felt like kids are showing up late all the time or not showing up at all. And they wanted to make sure we were holding kids accountable because one of our jobs is to teach you some level of accountability,” Page said.

  The new policy is stricter and has more severe consequences. The first repercussion begins at four tardies which leads to a 15 minute lunchroom clean up. At 16 tardies an hour of after school community service is given. At 20 or more tardies, Saturday school is required. Three tardies is now also equivalent to one unexcused absence.

  The new policies have affected students in various ways.“[The new policy] has not affected me at all because I always come on time. But it has affected my friends because they don’t want to meet the intensified consequences that come with being tardy now,” said Jake Keller, senior.

  “Being on time or being where you’re supposed to be is a good representation of your level of responsibility,” said Page. “That level of responsibility is always going to be important.”

Caitlyn Tsukamoto, Editor in Chief