Senioritis. It’s a problem that seems to afflict high school seniors, especially during their final semester, causing them to repeatedly miss days of school and lead to frustration for parents, faculty and administrators.
Iola High School Principal Scott Crenshaw thinks he knows a cure, or at least a plan to reduce the trouble caused by seniors who frequently skip school: Let them leave. But only if they can earn it.
Many schools throughout the state — including five of the seven in the Pioneer League — allow second-semester seniors to take only the courses they require for graduation, and then take the rest of the day off.
Crenshaw wants USD 257 to offer a similar “senior release” policy next year. The hope is to reduce absences. During the first semester this year, the senior class of 82 students missed an average six days of school in the first semester.
Come spring, when the sun peeks through winter clouds and warms their teenage hearts and blood, it will be even more difficult to keep them in class, Crenshaw said.
Crenshaw ran the proposal by teachers, who cheered. It’s a struggle to teach students who don’t want to be there and who, frankly, often don’t need to be there, he said. If the class isn’t required for graduation, some students may not take it seriously and could cause disruption for those who do.
There are few options to force those students to follow the district’s attendance policy. The courts typically can’t enforce truancy penalties on a senior who won’t be around by the time a lengthy court process concludes, Crenshaw said.
The plan would come with some stipulations. Students would be required to pass all their first semester classes and cannot miss an excessive amount of classes. That would be dictated by the student handbook.
Most seniors need just three classes to fulfil graduation requirements: consumer education, government and English. Instead of taking classes they don’t need to graduate, a student could focus on an extended internship, work or help his or her family, Crenshaw said.
Students could still use school resources like the internet cafe and would be eligible to eat breakfast and lunch, but would not be allowed to wander the halls or “hang out” in various areas of the school.
Students do not have to take advantage of the option. College-bound seniors may need to take advanced courses in science and math, or may want to take other electives.
Superintendent Stacey Fager expressed support for the plan. Crenshaw will leave the district at the end of this school year, but said he hopes the board will approve it for the benefit of his successor, Scott Carson.
The board took no action at Monday’s meeting and said they wanted time to consider the proposal.
Workplace training
IHS students have an opportunity to run an actual business as part of a workplace training class taught by Laura Schinstock.
Four of the five students who work on a printing business attended Monday’s school board meeting to update the board on the program.
