As the new school year begins, the tardy policy that was implemented last year continues. But now, the tardy policy will see some changes.
Poly’s Tardy Expectations and Procedures flyer explains the most notable updates: “If a student is tardy during Periods 1-8, they will receive a 20-minute detention,” and “To simplify tracking and acknowledge emergencies, students are allowed a total of five excused tardies across all periods: notes will not be accepted.”
These new modifications have sparked some controversy on campus. Michael Crowder Jones, one of Poly’s Assistant Principals who manages the tardy policy on campus, noted, “The reason why we have 5 free tardies is because we understand that things happen.”
Mr. Crowder Jones continued, “We know sometimes you’re brought to school, sometimes you’re taking siblings to school, but also, we discussed the reasons why it’s a problem if you’re tardy a lot.”
Kevin Word, a campus staff assistant, known as Mr. Kevin, described how the tardy policy has become more effective. He explained, “It is an area of concern that will set you up for your success or failure later on in life.”
Although some students expressed concerns about the tardy policy being too harsh, Mr. Kevin stated, “You know the expectations, and we expect you to meet them. So, no grace period, I am not in favor of it.”
From an administrative perspective, the tardy policy was put in place not as a threat, but as an incentive to get to class on time. In the eyes of counseling staff, however, timeliness is a lifelong skill stretching far past our high school years.
Care Center professional, Michael Gray, remarked, “We may have to do better with sharing and showing why it [being on time] is an important habit to create.” He then went on to acknowledge that many students rely on a parent or sibling to get to school, and that it’s a group effort that should be taken seriously.
With the recent emphasis on tardies the past two years, questions have been raised about which campus issue is most problematic. “Being on time is important,” Mr. Gray mentioned, “But hell no, we have to help with drugs, we have to help with bullying, harassment, our school still doesn’t practice breath work. . . There are all of these, what we call life skills, that are way more important [than tardiness].”
Ultimately, the tardy policy remains a point of tension on campus, especially given the fact that the bungalows are crowded and difficult to navigate. Both students and staff alike continue to debate over the strict guidelines and overall necessity of the changes to the policy.
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