High School Discipline Improves, Report Shows

Students at Jefferson Township High School significantly improved their attendance and discipline in comparison to last year, according a report presented by Superintendent Joseph Kraemer at Monday night's BOE meeting.

The report, which is based on the first three months of the school year, accounts for the number of times students are late, cut class, have unexcused absences, and have inappropriate behavior.

All of the categories dropped significantly in the first three months of this year in comparison to the 2011-12 school year.

The number of students who were late to school six or more times the past three months went from 78 in 2011 to 38 this year, Kraemer said.

Students with four or more unexcused absenses dropped from 121 to 67.

In addition, the number of students who cut class went from 38 to 12.

There were nearly half as may incidents of inappropriate behavior this year, dropping from 56 in 2011 to 25 this year.

Kraemer credits the improvement in the school to the advisory homerooms, the week of respect, and mostly the senior parking privilege.

"There's only so many spaces in a large class so there's criteria for containing it," Kraemer said. "It's a privilege to get a space."

Although only seniors are allowed to enter the lottery for the spaces, the students in the lower grades also have to maintain good discipline in order to be considered for a spot their senior year.

While the parking privilege is not new, Kraemer said it is really being enforced this year beacuse there are less spots now after the parking lot was reconstructed, and there is also an increase of students.

"This is the first year we've really had a shortage in space for the class," he said.

In order to get a spot, seniors must demonstrate good behavior, grades, discipline, and attendence. Not every senior is guaranteed a spot, students will be drawn in a lottery.

Students can also have the permits taken away if they show poor discipline, such as being late more than six times or cutting class more than three times.

All students parking at the high school will be drawn by lottery and is by permit only.  Due to limited space, only seniors may apply for a permit.