One of Schreiber’s most prominent academic guidelines is its attendance policy.  The Schreiber Student Handbook states that a student must attend more than 85 percent of their classes each quarter, less than five absences per class, or they will fail the course.  The policy also mentions that both excused and unexcused absences count towards this rule, so a parent calling in advance does not erase their child’s absence.  While some believe that the 85 percent attendance rule is beneficial for students, there are many reasons why this is not the case.

First, the handbook specifies that this policy does not apply to an illness or death in the family.  However, high school students often have obligations and activities at times that are out of their control, which makes it reasonable that a student might encounter conflicts and have no choice but to miss a few classes.  For example, a student could participate in a high-stakes sports tournament, a religious youth group retreat, a family member’s wedding out of town, or other events that remove them from the classroom.  

Schreiber’s administration should not prevent students from participating in these events, especially if the occasions are important and will impact their future in a significant way.  If the student can explain the event’s relevance and is otherwise in good standing in their class, then they should be let off the hook.

“I’ve missed a lot of school this year to be able to attend my cousins’ weddings, which is frustrating because now I’m unable to stay home from school if I really need to because of the 85% rule,” said freshman Lily Mishkin.

Additionally, it’s important to remember that these students are still in high school and that they are therefore still maturing and growing.  Taking time off for mental health reasons is important, and students’ well-being may suffer if they feel too stressed or pressured and are unable to rest.  

Research shows that it actually benefits students to have a few days off to prevent burnout, which can improve academic outcome.  Some students might not have an important event to miss school for, but perhaps just need to get a few extra hours of sleep, which could be more important than simply attending an extra class or two.

Also, germs and sicknesses are constantly being circulated around Schreiber, such as common colds in the winter and spring.  Even if students become seriously ill and need to visit the doctor or stay home as a result, such situations would not count as excused absences under the attendance policy.  Thus, they might feel pressured to attend school because they worry about the 85 percent rule and how their absence will affect their grades.  

This refusal to stay home not only negatively affects a student’s recovery, but also the health of their classmates, who are now exposed to the pathogen as well.  Additionally, being sick is a huge distraction from learning, so it is possible that the student won’t get much out of the day anyway.  In cases like this, it is obvious that the attendance policy is hindering the success of Schreiber students.

“There are so many mornings when I wake up feeling sick and want to stay home from school but still go to classes because I’m afraid of having too many absences,” said freshman Maya Gross.

Moreover, let’s not forget that every student learns differently.  A student can attend class every single day and still not understand the material being taught in class, while another could miss multiple days in a row and still be able to catch up with ease.  Attendance doesn’t always correspond to high grades or academic achievements, which this rule seems to overlook.

Now, this isn’t to say that Schreiber’s academic system doesn’t help students who have missed classes to make up their work.  Teachers have extra help periods built into their schedules so that students can retake quizzes, receive assistance on assignments, and collect any paperwork that they missed from class.  There are also many other resources that students are provided with so that they don’t fall behind in the curriculum, such as Google Classroom with its posted online assignments.  

Students are encouraged to email their teachers when they plan on missing a class, further reducing their risk of falling behind.  So if individuals are willing to put in the time and effort to make up the work they missed in class, why wouldn’t Schreiber permit them a few extra absences?

“Whenever I stay home from school, I’m always able to make up the missed work by the end of the week.  I go to visit my teachers on my off periods, and they tell me what I missed so that I’m able to catch up,” said freshman Hannah Edelson.

Lastly, the punishment that the attendance policy outlines seems unfair to many high-achieving students.  An individual might work diligently, submit all assignments on time, participate in class regularly, and maintain a high GPA.  However, that same student is at risk of their grades severely plummeting by having more than five absences, which results in a fail.  In the future, this could affect their college applications, class rank, and other grade-based opportunities.

The attendance policy is supposedly meant to enhance students’ learning, but it’s obvious that that’s not the case.  Instead, the policy puts pressure on students and limits them from pursuing important opportunities and attending meaningful events.  One may then pose a question: is this really the most effective policy for maintaining attendance at Schreiber?