Tardies, tardies, tardies! As of January 7, 2022, Xavier has implemented a modified late-policy aiming to reduce classroom distractions and promote student punctuality. The administrative decision was made “after reviewing our attendance for the past two years,” said Denise Macrina, Xavier’s dean of students. 

Many students may not realize that being late can negatively impact both teachers and fellow peers. When students arrive to their first period classes after the lesson has started, it often pulls focus from the teacher. Consequently, teachers may have to take time out of the class to regroup students. 

By reducing such distractions, Xavier’s administration hopes to “make things better and more efficient for all,” said Tara Metzger, assistant to the president and principal, NHS advisor and junior class moderator. 

Furthermore, according to the administration, it is imperative that students do not miss the important information communicated on the morning announcements, which takes place during homeroom. “We have so much coming up in the second semester on morning announcements,” said Metzger.

Now that the new policy is in effect, late students will directly go to the dean’s office upon arrival, rather than stopping at the attendance office to get a slip.

The new policy addresses a student’s first two tardies with “time management awareness actions.” However late a student is, she must spend that amount of minutes in the dean’s office. Additionally, the late student must spend 20 minutes of her lunch period in the Hornaday Conference Room from 12:25 to 12:45. 

The third time that a student is late, she must “serve a full hour of detention, then it is recorded as a conduct referral and the students’ parents are contacted,” said Macrina.

Many students are unsure of what reasons excuse their tardiness, so Macrina clarifies that “the only thing that stops you from having the lunchtime “time-management awareness” is a doctor’s note, although we are trying to work on kids not having doctors’ appointments in the morning,” said Macrina. 

It is also required that these doctors’ notes must be presented upon the students arrival, whether it be on paper, or scanned in by a parent.

Not only will students be held more accountable for being at school, but parents are also urged to “always schedule doctors’ appointments outside of school time if possible,” said Metzger.

In efforts to further discourage tardiness, “students who are late on a rally day are not allowed to go to the rally; they will stay in the dean’s office,” said Macrina.

“I think a lot of times it’s just all about your routine. If you’re late often, wake up 10 minutes earlier. That 10 minutes can make a huge difference,” said Metzger.

Macrina also stressed that it is important for students to be prepared for tests the night before to prevent early morning studying that will lead to late arrivals.

The new attendance policy will also help to alleviate the stress of the attendance office staff who have often had to manage large numbers of absences, sometimes even hundreds.

“We have seen far fewer absences since the recent policy change, and it has been so helpful for us. It has already proved to be a tremendous success in just two days,” said Jeri Butts, director of school attendance.