By now you have heard about our school’s newly enforced attendance policy.  

The policy states “students who are late to class within the first five minutes should be counted tardy, after five minutes students who arrive without a pass should be marked absent.”

Three tardies will count as an unexcused absence from class.

“It’s not actually new,” Principal Jason Kline said of the policy. “Just more clear.”

The rule has been around, he says, but due to the fact that last year there was an increase in students’ school absences, this summer the policy was made more clear of what the consequences will be for students.

“It [tardies] will be strictly enforced at all grade levels,” Kline said.

Some students haven’t yet noticed a difference.

“I haven’t really noticed teachers really enforcing it more heavily,” Olivia Vandersanden, jr., said.

Some students don’t think tighter enforcement of the policy is right.

“What if you had to go talk to a counselor and they didn’t give you a pass?” Peyton Osborn, sr., said. ” You get counted absent after five minutes.”

While there may be mixed opinions, students will have to wait to and see if anything will change.