OPINION
STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH EARLIER START TIME
Long lines to check in tardy students causes students to be even later to first period
W
e all know how busy the mornings can be with how bad the school traffic is. Sometimes it is truly unavoidable whether we are late or not. ELLA MORK There have been days where there are dozens of students tardy and we have to wait in lines so each student can get a pass. By doing this, students end up being even more late to first period. Students should be able to show up a minute or two late without getting punished. According to the student handbook, students who arrive at school after 8:20 without a parent note could receive a two hour Saturday school. Students are allowed two tardies per
semester, and after that, they must an hour earlier than last year. The be present for the whole school day start time change has been a big to be able to participate in a contest adjustment for students, especially that day. for students who were If athletes are late on Zoom last year. They “Students should be never even had to worry by even a minute on game day, they able to go straight to about being tardy. Stuaren’t allowed to dents are not used to all class and not have participate in their of these changes. to wait in a line for a game that day. If the reason there are long time just to get tardies is because adLast year, ada tardy slip.” ministration was ministration doesn’t want more relaxed with students missing out on tardies. Since there was no bussing, class material, students should be everyone had to drive to school, able to go straight to class and not which caused a lot more traffic. The have to wait in a line for a long time entire school was trying to adjust to just to get a tardy slip. the different school year and adjust Instead, first period teachers to Covid. Mr. Durst said there were should be the ones that determine if more important things for adminiswe are classified as tardy or not and tration to deal with than tardies. decide if we should be punished. A This year, however, the administralot of the time, class is just getting tion has gone back to the pre-Covid started and we are not missing any tardy rules. Additionally, school starts content.
STUDENTS ARE MORE POSITIVE THAN EXPECTED
School spirit, class bonding on the rise thanks to a determined senior class
I
t is a significant year to be in high school. The 20212022 school year is a lot of trial and error in returning to normal learning. As a community we saw all the negative DANIELLE effects of the panVARRASSO demic. The increase in arguing, disagreements and tension around every decision being made. Will the students have to wear masks? What senior privileges can we allow kids? Is online learning still an option? What are the Covid protocols? The biggest underlying question, though, is how will the students be affected by each decision made? Maybe it is because we were in a constantly changing environment last year and the expectations for this year were already low. Maybe it was because we got used to it, but whatever it was, it made the student body come together.
I have noticed more school spirit out on to the best of our abilities. than ever. Everyone seems to be I am so happy to see this, especialmore involved. This has been seen in ly for my senior year. Our grade has extracurriculars, clubs, and supportcome together and, without a doubt, ing at plays, sporting events, etc. This we have done and will continue to goes against what I originally exdo everything we can to make this pected. After a year year the best it could of online learning possibly be. We have and still not everymade sure to make “Everyone had a thing being back our voices heard shared sense of deter- and make significant to normal, I figured mination to have fun students would just impacts. try to get through We can thank the and bring back what another year. administration for was taken away.” They have done really listening to the the complete oppostudents' voices this site. Students have year and constantly been so positive and instead of letadapting to the new ideas, but we ting all the obstacles bring us down, can also acknowledge the role of we have come together because of it. the students and the positive outI have seen all the grades grow closlook they have had. Everyone had er and make the most of everything. a shared sense of determination to Great examples are Homecoming, have fun and bring back what was Powder Puff and sports in general. taken away. People are excited and want to make things happen. We have made sure to bring back the events that we missed
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