When thinking about the way attendance was handled last year, grade level coordinator Joe Yaeger knew the attendance system needed change.

“In my opinion, last year, it got too relaxed, too many kids out in the hall,” Yaeger said. “If two kids were out in the hall it would become four, then eight and so on, and it just becomes a bigger problem.”

According to Assistant Principal Kari Schwietering, because of rising concerns regarding attendance, the staff must integrate changes to the former system.

“We had looked at a variety of things and talked to a variety of stakeholders and determined attendance was a concern,” Schwietering said.According to Schwietering, a top concern staff members had about the school was discussed prior to the school year.

“We also had a staff development meeting where the top problem identified by staff was attendance,” Schwietering said. “So we looked for different ways to address it.”

Schwietering said the staff added multiple physical and procedural features to decrease student absences.

“(There are) new doors and physical structures within the building along with job requirements for Grade Level Cordinator’s (GLC’s)  and others in the building,” Schwietering said. “Along with a stronger focus on things such as pass usage and taking attendance. We also went to three lunches, getting rid of the overlap so that people will be where they need to be during fifth hour.”

Sophomore Shellcie Salas Rea said she particularly dislikes the new lunch system.

“(I don’t believe the lunch changes are worth it) because it just takes you longer to get to your class,” Salas Rea said.

Schwietering said there will be a new position assigned with the job of keeping track of attendance.

“(The worker) will be taking on new roles, along with other roles that other people used to do as well. The job is not yet completely defined, however we will be working to find ways to look at what we’ve been doing to find innovative ways to better support our students, staff and families so that attendance is less of a concern.”

Yaeger said the staff’s main goal remains keeping students without hall passes out of the halls.

“It’s not really a new rule, we’re just more going after passes,” Yaeger said. “Students need passes in hand. I mean it’s not just the students leaving class, we’re also hoping to keep the teachers from saying ‘just go’ and therefore everybody would be accountable in the halls.”

Yaeger said he believes the rule changes improved student attendance.

“I believe within two weeks (the changes) have helped,” Yaeger said.

Salas Rea said she believes students who do not like the rules will have to accept them.

“Students are just going to have to get used to it,” Salas Rea said. “Because the rules aren’t going away.”