SalemNews.com, Salem, MA

Witches Brew

Discussion

The Salem News has a real-name policy for commenting. Users may sign in using the Facebook Connect tool above the comments field. Once your first comment is posted by a moderator, all future comments will post automatically. If you prefer not to use Facebook, send an e-mail with your comments user name (which must be the same as your real name), city or town, street address and daytime phone number to comments@salemnews.com. A staff member will contact you directly to confirm your identity. It may take a day or two before you can post comments. Only your user name will be public. All users are required to follow our rules for commenting, which can be found here.

comments powered by Disqus
January 10, 2008

New policies support student responsibility

Margaret Larson

SALEM — With a new school year comes new rules, and not everybody is thrilled about them.

"Absences should be a rare occurrence," the school handbook says in its explanation of the new attendance policy. According to this policy, students who exceed two unexcused absences per quarter per class automatically get an AF | a 59 | for that class. It sounds harsh, but according to school staff, it's the only way to keep kids from skipping. Ms. Carol Carr of the Business Department mentioned that last year, students could get away with as many as 10 absences per quarter, without punishment. And as Mr Andrew Wulf, Housemaster of Essex House said, "Students can't learn if they're not in school."

In addition to the new attendance rule, students who arrive at school any later than 7:24 a.m. are now given detention. Two tardies to a class is equal to an unexcused absence, and so is one tardy later than 20 minutes.

Another new rule states that all students must remain in the lobby until 7:12 a.m. Wulf explains that this is because teachers don't report until 7:12, and until then, there aren't enough people to be responsible for the students. He also said that before the new hall policy, there were some problems with vandalism.

Some of the biggest changes this year are the elimination of homeroom and a new lunch schedule. With the new lunch schedule, third lunch has been cut. Wulf says that this was a way to hold kids accountable and make sure that they stay in lunch.

About homeroom, Wulf says that it just "didn't work out the way it should have." Students weren't staying in their homerooms. Like the new lunch schedule, it all came down to students being responsible.

Now that the new student IDs have finally come in for all students, students will have to wear them visibly at all times. Students who do not have their IDs visible will face detention after the second offense. Ms. Diane McGrane of student Activities said in some other schools, students without an ID would not even be allowed to enter the building.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News

Local News
  • 5913832SN.jpg A long road to graduation for Salem High senior SALEM — When he receives his diploma tonight in the Salem High field house, Greg Martinez plans to cross the stage with a walker.
    It will be only a few steps, but it will mark a milestone in a journey that was hard to imagine five years ago, the attainment of a goal that few dreamed possible on Aug. 15, 2007.

    June 1, 2012 2 Photos

  • Salem High valedictorian in a class by himself SALEM — All by himself, Jesus Morales has swept aside the stereotypes, the demographic data and the educational studies.
    He is an 18-year-old boy from a low-income family.
    He went through school on the federally subsidized free and reduced lunch program.

    June 1, 2012

  • Delegates torn about DeFranco's Senate bid Marisa DeFranco needs 750 votes this weekend, or 10,000 signatures will be for naught.
    The long-shot U.S. Senate candidate from Middleton has splashed onto the national political scene in recent weeks by stubbornly standing between Democratic establishment candidate Elizabeth Warren and a clear path to the party's nomination.

    June 1, 2012

  • Ferry season opens June 8 SALEM — The Salem ferry opens the 2012 season in one week.
    Boston Harbor Cruises announced yesterday that it is taking over the Salem-to-Boston service and will make its first run on Friday, June 8.

    June 1, 2012

  • 5951678SN.jpg Governor brings energy to ceremony for Cummings Center's solar panels BEVERLY — Gov. Deval Patrick went to the top floor of the West Garage of the Cummings Center yesterday afternoon to cut the ribbon on a 366-kilowatt solar power installation.
    Touting the state's investments in clean energy and life sciences, the governor spoke before approximately 100 people, many of them tenants of the Cummings Center.

    June 1, 2012 1 Photo