As the school year began, it was announced students will now be counted absent if not present in the classroom ten minutes after the bell has rung regardless of whether or not the student has shown up after the ten minutes. The rule has been used in years past but was not used during the height of the pandemic. They will be marked tardy if the student arrives within the ten minute timeframe after the bell rings and absent after.

“I think it’s not the best decision,” senior Dominique Diaz said. “Because let’s say [a student] got here late and let’s be honest some people might talk in the hallway, then it might be past ten minutes and they’re like ‘well I’m already absent, what’s the point of going to class?’”

Consequences for too many tardies can result in a teacher calling home or the student receiving a referral. Students with a pattern of repeated tardiness may get called into the office, receive detention, Saturday school or in-school suspension.

Tardies are cumulative from all classes. If a student has nine or more absences, they will not be able to exempt any semester final exams. In order to exempt an exam, the student must have less than three absences in a class. 

Students will have five days to turn in an absence note to the office, or their parents can email the attendance office at [email protected].