We’ve all been there. Your alarm goes off and as you look out the window you’re met with nothing but the pitch black sky. As you attempt to get out of bed, you start to debate if your education is more important than your sleep. And for many students, they often choose sleep. According to the Illinois Report Card, a state run data collection organization, 26.3 percent of high school students are chronically absent. This means they miss 12 or more days of school.
Twelve days is equivalent to 2.4 school weeks, 87 hours, or 5,220 minutes. In that time, you could drive to California and back– and still have time left over. Yikes. Not only that, but in terms of school, “Everything [students] learn builds on each other, and when [they are] chronically absent, there is a lot of information [students] miss out on,” said Naz Ahmed, English teacher.
As of now, Hoffman Estates High School’s standard procedure consists of a phone call home, alongside an automated email. After six days of absence, parents may be notified through a letter, email, or other direct communication. An administrator may also meet with the student to discuss the reason for the absences. If a justified reason is provided, a conference with the parent may be postponed. However, if no extenuating circumstances exist, an administrator may request a parent conference, and the number of courses in which the student can participate and earn credit may be reduced. Additionally, if a student is absent for 15 consecutive days, they may not earn course credit.
Some students believe that this may be a harsh policy. “I think the constant hounding of attendance causes some students unnecessary stress,” said Maria Isabel Muller, junior.
In some instances, students have struggles that prevent them from coming to school. Income is a big factor. “A lot of students who are low income are working jobs … impacting their ability to get to school. Also, if their parents are working and childcare falls through, that falls on a lot of students who have siblings,” said Delaina Heracklis, dean and English teacher.
“Not everyone has a parent and guardian at home in the morning that can wake you up and make sure you go to school,” said Ahmed.
In order to help, the administrative team has tried to assist students in any way possible. “I’ve been to a few houses to pick up kids that can’t get here,” said Heracklis. “There are interventions that we put into place to help kids get to class like escorts or pass restrictions. This helps kids stay focused on the attendance aspect.”
In terms of start time, Hoffman’s is definitely earlier in comparison to other schools. “Having school at 7:30 really pushes my buttons some days,” said Mylee Montgomery, junior. But, there is a reason as to why we start this early, such as “we share buses with the other schools, and we also have to coordinate with other schools,” said Mark Ahn, English teacher.
With school starting so early, it’s easy for students to cave in and to not go to school. Still, there are steps students can take to minimize the challenges tied to waking up early. “Get to bed early, which means managing other commitments and distractions,” said Ahn. “Everybody likes talking about getting more rest, but then nobody does it.”
Aside from the early school time that is out of Hoffman’s control, the administrative team at Hoffman has seen success. “This year we (administrators) have been focusing primarily on absenteeism, truancy, and tardiness. I think we have made really positive strides and … we have seen a marked increase in attendance,” said Heracklis.
There are benefits to being present in school that cannot be gained at home. At school, students learn the importance of social cues and how to properly behave. Skills learned in the classroom are not only useful in school but are successful in social situations in adult life, sayid Ahmed.
It isn’t just about understanding social norms: Being at school is enjoyable. “I like to think that the people who are hired to teach you are competent and good at what they do and are engaging, and that is an experience that can’t be replicated at home,” said Heracklis. “And so while students might be able to [complete] a worksheet at home or read a chapter or whatever at home, students are not going to get the same experience that students would in a classroom.”
Hoffman Estates High School is the most diverse high school in Illinois, and as a result, “students are going to have access to other perspectives that they wouldn’t consider if they were home in their room,” said Heracklis.
With the right nightly routine, and understanding the importance of being present, we can find the motivation to overcome the overbearing dread we all feel when the alarm clock goes off.
