By Samantha Sanchez
Staff Writer
Mira Costa’s new absence policies are beneficial and necessary to ensure the success of students in the classroom. In addition, the new policies will raise Costa’s income and help develop students’ time management skills.
Students are incentivized not to miss class without being excused due to the possibility of being assigned a Study Zone, which makes up for class time lost when students were gone and takes time out of a student’s weekend so students are encouraged to attend their classes more frequently.
According to new Costa Vice Principal Kristin Wolberg, teachers are concerned because students need to learn, and when they are absent, they miss important information. Additionally, upon their return, students expect teachers to provide them with all the information they missed, which often time takes away from regular class time. Being present in the classroom will be beneficial to students because it will prevent them from falling behind and having teachers also lose time from helping them catch up.
According to attendance clerk Joanne Fryml, the new policy targets students that purposefully choose not to attend class. Students spend five days a week in school, so they most likely do not want to spend a well-earned day off on a Saturday in school. Therefore, the possibility of being assigned a Study Zone will hopefully motivate students to attend class more often.
As stated by English teacher Bradi Everett, if students want education to be more than a series of worksheets, they all have to show up to the same place at the same time to have discussions and interact. Interaction between peers is crucial for a student’s development and will ensure his or her success in college and the future.
Attendance is important because it allows students to leave an impression on their school and their teachers and contribute to the classroom community. With the new policy, the school is able to control students’ absences in order to ensure that students are learning to the best of their abilities.
According to senior Sarah Montgomery, the new policy will help motivate her to attend class due to the fear of being assigned a Study Zone. The absence policy is a direct source of motivation for students who wish to succeed.
As stated by Wolberg, the new policy teaches students to accept responsibility for not attending school. The absence policy will help prepare students for the real world, where absences may result in failure.
Furthermore, student absences result in lost money for Costa because the school receives funds from the state based on the number of students that attend Costa each day. Fewer absences will provide the school with more funds to help students receive the best possible education. In addition, this additional revenue from students’ attendance will enhance the learning environment for students and teachers.
With the administration implementing these new and improved absence policies, students will recognize the benefits of attending more school and being present in class. The positive monetary impact on the school and the encouragement of student success all are embodied by Costa’s new absence policies. The new absence policy will not only benefit students by teaching them management skills, but it will also help the school financially.
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