Oscar Lin and Rachel Sage Zhang, Staff Writer and News Copy Editor
Before school turned virtual, the THHS administration urged teachers to embrace and emphasize late logs in the classroom. The new policy asks that when students arrive late to their designated classes, they sign a late log, documenting their name, time of arrival, and a reason for lateness.
Many students agree that the late logs reflect an important change to typical classroom procedures. Freshman Kamil Wit expressed, “I feel that the late log is necessary so that teachers can keep track of students who are late.”
Freshman Roy Benedict Curzata further noted, “The recent enforcement of the late log… helps decrease the number of people that will be late to class.” By recording student latenesses in a concrete book, teachers have student records at hand and students become encouraged to avoid being late and avoid signing the late log.
Senior Jennifer Jiang also added, “Bathroom logs are unnecessary, but I really like the recent enforcement of late logs. When people in our class come in late, our first band teacher won’t waste time changing it in the attendance book.”
While late logs save time in class, Dean Robin Figelman described an added responsibility for teachers referring to the aforementioned late logs. “Teachers are starting to reach out to parents and notify them when students are cutting and when they’re late,” stated Ms. Figelman. “It’s starting to hold teachers accountable and [responsible for] finding out why their students aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”
With the previous demerit system, a student who was late to school or class could directly receive one demerit. The accumulation of multiple demerits originally had the potential to exclude or disqualify students from student activities, teams, and honors societies. Late logs would lead to demerits only after the teacher notices a pattern and reaches out for parent intervention.
Jennifer concluded, “Late logs promote coming to class on time and lets students know that there is a reasonable consequence for not coming to class on time. I’m usually not late, so the late logs have had no effect on me but I think it’s a good policy.”
