This year, LSE is implementing a new attendance policy that may impact students’ ability to purchase a Homecoming ticket.

After many conversations with other LSE administrators, Principal Tanner Penrod and his team decided to create a new attendance policy. In an email sent to students and families, Penrod wrote that “Homecoming at LSE is a privilege – a privilege reserved for those that attend class and show up to classes on time”. 

Last year, many administrators, parents and even students expressed concerns about the number of students who didn’t show up to school but were in attendance for the Homecoming dance. Penrod voiced his beliefs that Homecoming and all other extracurriculars were “privileges that are earned through attending school, working hard in school, behaving at school and being a productive member of the community.” 

The policy specifically states: “If you have one or more period of truancy you will need approval from your administrator to purchase a Homecoming ticket.” In regards to tardies, the policy states: “If you have two or more tardies you will need approval from your administrator to purchase a Homecoming ticket.”

If a student does experience either tardies or truancies they are expected to talk to their administrator for approval of their purchase. Penrod explained that intention of this conversation is to motivated students to speak to and build connections with adults throughout the building.

The policy, which was implemented Aug. 29, and will run through Sept. 16, has raised some questions amongst students and staff. There is concern for the students who are not responsible for getting themselves to school. This population is over half of the student body, when underclassmen are taken into consideration.

Penrod acknowledged this could be seen as unfair to students that are not capable of getting themselves to school every day. However, he also revealed his empathy towards students who fall under this category as he was able to relate with their circumstances. 

“By no fault of my own, I was always the last one to show up to things and always late and the last person to get picked up and things,” Penrod said.

Penrod acknowledges that he and his team could have done a better job at explaining the rationale behind the strategy for improved student attendance. 

“[We want] to put students in a position where they did have to have that opportunity to connect with their admin,” Penrod said.

Captivating the underlying hope of implementing the policy, Penrod revealed that instead of scaring students into showing up to class every day, it would empower students to create connections with adults throughout the building. 

“I think that conversation could yield a positive outcome…what I do know is students who feel like they are connected to the school [and] connected to the adults in the school have far greater outcomes academically and with their attendance,” Penrod said.