Livingston High School Changes Tardiness, Absence Policies

Next time parents let their child stay home from school or write that tardy note, they should think twice. 

The Board of Education introduced changes at its Monday meeting to the district’s tardiness and absence policies at Livingston High School. 

Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, high school students must be in school by 8:50 a.m. in order to participate in extra-curricular activities.

When it comes to tardiness, a student must provide an acceptable excuse, such as a doctor’s note, and be in school for at least four hours and 30 minutes to participate in after-school activities.  

The previous policy at the high school required students to be in school all day in order to partake in after-school activities, said Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Lawrence Russell. The policy at the middle schools will remain the same, where students must be in school all day in order to take part in after-school activities. 

The new policy will give students “some leniency,” said Russell. He said the district realized it wasn’t fair that a student could be barred from a football or soccer game after school due to an unforeseen problem in the morning that caused him or her to be late.

“Life happens and we wanted to account for that,” said Russell.

Principal Mark Stern was in favor of the changes, and said Monday the new policy is still "very strict by standards across the county and across the state, but is also something that's a little more forgiving."  

The board also changed its policy for the number of classes a high school student can miss before he or she loses credit for the class.

Students cannot miss more than 14 classes or they will lose credit for the class starting next year. The previous limit for classes missed was 18. 

Students must be in their seats for at least 90 percent of a class to get credit. Livingston are on a rotating-drop schedule and meet 135 days out of the school year for a specific class. 

“It’s going to be an adjustment,” said Russell.