Rogers High School - RYB Yearbook (Michigan City, IN)

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22 ATTENDANCE Day after day first hour teachers were swamped with forged notes excusing students from school. The student knew they were forged; the teachers knew they were forged; but faculty members had to accept it. There was no policy to follow. Day after day students arrived to class late. Some teachers handed out detentions to those with excessive tardies, but again there was no official policy behind them. Seeing the need for something, the administration drew up an attendance policy. The policy was simple-3 tardies totaled one un- excused absence, ll unexcused absences the course credit was lost. There, of course, were exceptions: illness under a doctor's care, a death in the family, or a school- sponsored field trip. The purpose of the policy was to discourage unnecessary absences and theaven forbidl skipping classes. The main goal was achieved. The biggest offenders tthose who, the year before had accumulated as many as 40-50 absences in one class and still, remarkably, passedl realized they would not pass without showing up. By watching their number of non-exempt absences, they also learned to decide whether or not they were really sick or could make it through another day. Many students by mid- semester had reached the point of no return a one more tardy or absence meant lost credits. Flawless and simple as the policy seemed, complications still arose eroding its effectiveness. Some students accumulated as many as seventeen absences and still remained in class. Others received exempt absences when some felt they should No notes, No questions, No credit be non-exempt tsuch as court appearances and being in jaiD however the law read. Although the biggest offenders were shut out, the policy opened doors for others. Many.students who never before cut class, considered the eleven days theirs. tActually four. After that notices were sent home. How do you explain to your parents four absences when you haven't been sick?l No parental excuses were required, and no questions were asked; therefore, no forging and no lying. Why not skip? With no more excuses it would seem that attendance, for once, would be easy on teachers. But unfortunately, it left a heavier load and more paper work. A minimum average of 2 hours per week was spent counting, checking and totaling exempt and non-exempt absences and tardies, notifying counselors and principals, and keeping the grade books colored-in- zeros apart from the empties. For a first year policy, it worked well. Mistakes can be ironed out for the future. Nothing is perfect, and something is better than than nothing. The administration finally came up with a plan that treated senior high students like senior high students e no more notes from mommy treal or otherwisel, no more accounting for whereabouts every minute. Responsible students were given the chance to prove themselves. Irresponsible students proved themselves, too. Kaye Kleinschmidt Travis Tucker Students still crowded into Mrs, Gungm-r's atten- dance office for early dismissals and exempt ab- sences.

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Jumpsuits: two in one Staying warm yet being fashionable was no longer a problem when the jumpsuit made the scene. Males. females, teacherst and students all realized the convenience of the one piece outfit. Worn either alone or with a sweater or shirt underneath. it provided freezing, fashion-cnnscious students a way to keep warm and be cool. Well dressed ears on guys and gals Not to be left out, members of the male sex kept their ears on the best-dressed list, too. Although they usually chose smaller earrings, they were there just the same The dilemma of choosing between two favorite pairs of earrings was finally resolved. The solution? Double piercing. For those who had more than twn favoritest triple. even quadruple piercing was done.