NEWS
OCTOBER 17, 2008 • VOL. 45, NO. 2
3
Maine South cracks down on attendance by Ashley Kozubal and Jackie Hazlett-Morris According to the new attendance policy at Maine South, students are only allowed to be absent seven times in one semester and no more than twelve times in the whole year. The new policy states that after the student has been absent for four days in a semester, a series of disciplinary consequences will be put into place. A letter will be sent home notifying the parents of the absences. A copy of the letter will also be sent to the student’s counselor, dean, nurse, teachers, and the Attendance Review Board coordinator. When the student reaches six absences in a semester, the student and his or her guardian will be required to attend a meeting with members of the school personnel, which may include any of the aforementioned parties. This meeting will be used to discuss reasons and contributing factors for the absences. The
meeting will also involve an intervention plan to improve attendance and set up an attendance contract. Various consequences will also be discussed, including the effects on the student’s grades and/or loss of privileges. If the student reaches eight or more absences in a semester or a total of thirteen for the entire year, the Attendance Review Board coordinator will meet with the Executive Committee of the school, to determine the exact extent of the consequences. These consequences may include withdrawal from courses with low grades and a loss of credits. When it comes to the new attendance policy there was a common theme among student reactions. Sophomore Katie Patterson said “I feel the attendance policy is inadequate. I work hard in school; I shouldn’t be punished if I get sick.” “Seniors have a lot of colleges to visit and AP classes take a lot out of you,” said
Senior Rob Carskie. “Mental health days are necessary.” Junior Bridget Laughran simply said “I think it’s baloney.” On the other hand Ms. Crane, a foods and home economics teacher, said “I think it’s great that something is finally being put into place to stop students from missing a ton of days in one semester.” Attendance may be authorized for the following reasons: student illness, death in the immediate family, observance of a religious holiday, family emergency, situations beyond the control of the student such as hospitalization or serious illness, and reasonable circumstances in which the parents fear for the safety of their child. This new attendance policy creates the necessity for every student to learn and memorize the new rules and restrictions, and to keep track of their absences closely.
Pads location worries parents
by Nick Espevik Public Aid to Deliver Shelter, or PADS, is a homeless shelter organization that has been proposed to open in Park Ridge. It was initiated late last year by the Reverend Amity Carrubba of St. Mary’s Church and the Park Ridge Ministerial Association. PADS is a rotating homeless shelter during the winter months that offers a warm place to stay with meals. It is part of a program called Journeys, which helps people to get back on their feet. The idea for PADS was born because in the winter, there are very few options for the homeless people in Park Ridge. PADS has a strict policy that requires the people to be in by 7 p.m. and out by 7 a.m. People staying are required to register with the program in order to keep it organized and safe. The Park Ridge Ministerial Association (a collection of local churches) and the Park Ridge Police Department have been supporters of the program from its conception. However, there have been several concerns about the program. One of
photo by Ashley Kozubal
St. Paul of the Cross Church is a candidate for the PADS shelter.
the concerns is that the shelter would attract more homeless. According to the Rev. Amity Carrubba of St. Mary’s, “busing homeless people in is not the case.” The idea was that the once-weekly PADS site in Park Ridge would be at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Due to certain conflicts, it was then decided that St. Paul of the Cross would host it instead. However many parents of children that attend the school there are still worried. According to one parent, “It is not the safe thing to do. It puts our children at risk.” The city council is now making several decisions regarding PADS. One of these decisions is if a specialuse permit should be required for the building hosting the site. This would come with several restrictions, such as the space in which the people stay would have to be 500 feet from any school space. Supporters of the idea are trying to minimize or eliminate these restrictions, as there would be the possibility that they could ruin the chances to open the site if passed. Tentatively, if it is allowed, it should open by winter 2009.