Teachers still having to deal with tardies at North Star

By Emalee Henning

For years, North Star students have been receiving tiny pink slips reminding them that they need to serve lunch detention for being tardy to class. So why did administration change the lunch detention policy? And, how exactly has it changed?

Lunch detention is still available as a consequence to everyone, but the main focus is on the freshmen. Why? Some teachers say it’s to make sure they’re accountable for being late to classes, but other teachers still don’t agree.

Freshman science teacher Ms. Whitman said she would rather her students stay after with her instead of serving lunch detention, because she can make up that lost time with them. Whitman also feels like the lost time should be owed to her, and not to lunch detention.

Lunch detention is served in the Black Box during both lunches. Mrs. Price said the reason lunch detention slips aren’t as strict anymore is because, “Quite frankly, there isn’t enough room for all of our late students, and there definitely aren’t enough adults to supervise them.”

Upperclassmen may have noticed that not all teachers are strict about these new rules. However, it is expected that every teacher must contact home if a student has been tardy to class three times. By the ninth tardy, a referral to administration will be given out. All teachers may make their own rules for the first few tardies, but consequences must be given out when needed.

As for science teacher Mrs. Seifferlein, her tardy policy is that by the third tardy, the student’s guardians will be contacted. By the fourth, they will spend fifteen minutes with her after school. Seifferlein said she hasn’t had many problems with students being late this year, and she’s proud of that.

Many teachers use different polices, making it difficult for students to remember what’s expected of them. Although Seifferlein and Whitman have different rules, they both agree that the same policy should be expected for all students. Knowing that everyone has the same policy, students will understand what’s expected and know exactly what they should do.

Regardless, students should make every effort to get to class on time.