Ninety-six sink below standard

Posted on 04. Dec, 2009 by joannagreer in Academics

By Alicia Hall, Senior

When the first quarter grades were distributed on November 11, 96 freshmen were disappointed by barely missing eligibility status which requires a 2.0 grade point average.

Lack of focus, courses that are too demanding, time management problems, and trouble transitioning from middle school to high school are some of the reasons cited by Assistant Principal Dirk Cauley for the failures.

The administration’s first step in addressing the situation was sending letters home to each of the identified students’ parents. With parental knowledge and consent further actions were put in place that includes mandatory Lunch & Learn sessions on Monday and Wednesdays, and mandatory study halls on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school from 2:20 – 3:20 p.m. Advanced placement and honors students were recruited to tutor the freshmen in the study halls.

Class change in the halls

If a student misses any of the mandatory Lunch & Learn sessions or study halls, they will be taken out of their class in the period before lunch, get an early lunch and be escorted to study hall. When this happens their parents will be notified.

About 70 students showed up for the first study hall on November 19th. “They seemed excited to be doing their work,” said Mr. Cauley. He added that these actions will be effective if the students participate.

Although some of these students have important after-school obligations, the hope is that the actions taken by the administration and supportive parents will be successful. The end goal is total eligibility for the whole student body.