Schools
New Policy Shines Light on Tardies at Albany High
This story originally appeared online in the Albany High Cougar. It has been reprinted from the Cougar with permission. See more from The Cougar at http://www.albanyhighcougar.com.
Wednesday, the high school administration implemented the “New Albany High School Tardy Policy.”
On Monday, school officials handed out the the new policy to students coming in late. It reads: “Beginning Wed. Jan. 25, all students who are tardy to any class must first go to the Attendance Office, sign in, and get a blue pass before entering any class. Teachers will no longer allow students to enter a class without a blue Attendance Office pass, whether excused or unexcused.”
“Tardiness has actually been a problem for me this year,” said social studies .
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According to the administration, teachers have been expressing an increased concern regarding tardiness and how it is a significant disturbance in class both for teachers and those students who are on-time and trying to learn.
Today, some 180 students stood in a line in front of the Attendance Office waiting for their pass if they arrived after the second morning bell. The students included both those who did not step into their specific class before the bell and were sent down by their teachers, and those who were stopped by the administration at the school entrances.
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Many students were upset with this new procedure.
“It’s not going to last. This is a ridiculous waste of time,” said one student who showed up one minute late yet returned to class 15 minutes later due to the long line at the Attendance Office.
Vice Principal Susan Charlip put it simply: “Don’t be tardy, it’s not that complicated.”
Similar views have been expressed by other school officials who ask students to leave a little earlier and show up on time so there won’t be any unnecessary disturbances in the classroom.
Wednesday morning there were more than 180 students who showed up late to class and were forced to go to the Attendance Office. According to the administration, first and second periods are the most troublesome, as well as those immediately after lunch.
Principal Ted Barone explained, “The AHS faculty made it a priority to resolve the problem. And it is not a new policy, but rather a new procedure to have better accounting [of tardies].”
School administrators say they hope the number of tardies will be reduced in the coming days as a result of the new policy.
