The new exemption policy will kick in on Monday. The administration has updated the rules to better suit students’ journeys in education. They have covered tardies, absences and grades, allowing students with higher grades to still have a chance to have a bit more leniency with their attendance. 

“We are trying to communicate to students that exemptions are a privilege,” Associate Principal Natalie Priwer said. “If a student has an A in a class, they are allowed to have two absences. If a student has a B, they are allowed one absence. If they have a C or failing, they do not have the privilege of exemptions.”

The new policy will give higher achieving students more of a reward, and hopefully encourage those who neglect their class work to pick it back up and reach new goals to get the exemption. Some students are excited and relieved by the change and are grateful for the attendance tolerance. 

“I think it’s more fair honestly,” sophomore Ava Foster said. “If you’re getting A’s, you obviously know that class well, so a couple absences wouldn’t matter to begin with. I think it’s more fair and more precise to a group of people’s grades. There will still be kids that aren’t gonna care.” 

The goal for admin is always to find ways for the kids who don’t have an interest in their school work, or struggle to keep up with their grades to have a better chance of reaching higher and reaping the benefits. There is concern with some students that the policy will not do much for the kids that struggle.

“First, I don’t really have to worry about finals for half of my classes, and I’m rarely absent, so it doesn’t really matter how many absences I have,” sophomore Trip Henniger said. “I think this policy benefits the kids that have done more work than the lazier kids, but they also have to put in more effort through their school work and things.”