October - Giles High School

New Attendance Policy by Brittney Jarrells
After taking the annual handbook test in their English class and the yearly lecture Mr. Brown and
Mr. Mills delivered to each grade level at the beginning of the school year, everyone at GHS had
heard about the new attendance policy in place. Most of you probably expect this article coming from
me, considering my attendance record from last year was a catastrophe. However, I passed my
sophomore year and was also exempt from all my exams. I completed my waiver and had each
absence supported in writing from a legal guardian or physician. I, along with several other students
in the state, seemed to have increased the need for a new attendance policy to be enforced. This new
policy has created mixed feelings. After hearing several discussions among our peers, I decided to
conduct two surveys; one for the teachers, and a different yet somewhat similar questionnaire for the
students. I also talked to Mr. Brown about who created the policy, why it is needed, and whether or
not he feels the policy to be confusing.
Each year the faculty at Giles completes a year-ending interview form for both Principal Brown
and Assistant Principle Mills to evaluate over summer break. For the past two years, the decrease in student attendance has been the
leading concern brought to their attention. The entire faculty had input in determining the use of four unverified excused absences in
the policy. It has been stated by Mr. Brown that the administration is “always open to suggestions on improving how we operate
GHS. Just like anything else that is new, this will take some adjustment.”
After obtaining information about this new policy from Principal Brown and conducting a survey from both teachers and students,
I’ve heard nearly every positive and negative opinion possible. One concern that was noted involved students not feeling well, yet
coming to school anyway
due to not wanting to have
to attend school during
exam week. This could
result in more sickness
spreading through the
halls of Giles. From the
twenty juniors who
volunteered to complete
the survey, every response
believed that the policy is,
in fact, confusing and
should somehow combine
the twelve acceptable
unverified excused
absences and the four verified excused absences into the same number, such as six or ten. Seven of the twenty stated that they are
going “to the extremes” to be exempt from their final exams, which shows that the policy seems to be having an effect. However,
thirteen of the twenty say they will most likely be taking the final exams in each class, and two stated they are already guaranteed to
be completing the exams at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
Attendance Policy 2009-2010
1. If you miss more than half of the school day, you may not attend any school sponsored event scheduled for that day
unless the absence is a verified excused absence.
• A verified excused absence being a documented absence from a doctor, dentist, lawyer, or court
officer. A death in the immediate family may be accepted based on the principal’s evaluation of the
situation.
2. When you are successful on the SOL test associated with a course, and you have four or fewer non-verified
excused absences, you may choose to be exempt from your final exam. For non-SOL classes, students must have a
C average or better, and have four or fewer non-verified excused absences to be exempt from your final exam.
• A non-verified excused absence being an absence that is supported only through a note from the
parent/guardian stating the child was absent and they knew the child was absent from school.
NOTE- Exam exemption policy does not apply to any weighted classes or dual-enrollment classes taught through New
River Community College.
In conclusion, I do see how the new policy will bring improvement and increased attendance from several high school students.
No one likes to be stuck in school during exam week after the pool has opened and sunshiny days have begun. I’m interested in
seeing whether this policy is indeed helpful. Only time will tell how successful the new requirements will be, but hopefully it will
show that Giles High School has yet again made a change for the better.
10
New P.E. teacher Mrs. Stephine
Webster
New Teacher at G.H.S
by Katie Davis
Giles High School welcomes new P.E. teacher Stephine Webster. Mrs. Webster
graduated from Roanoke College in 2008. When asked why did she choose to be a P.E.
teacher she responded, “I wanted to be a Athletic trainer, but when I started classes I didn’t
like it. So I started taking education classes, and loved it. I love playing sports and staying
fit. I truly enjoy being a P.E. teacher at Giles. All of the staff have been really supportive
and helped me learn the in’s and out’s of GHS.” Mrs. Webster completed her student
teaching at William Byrd High School in Vinton, Virginia, and Cave Spring Elementary in
Roanoke, Virginia. Mrs. Webster likes how Giles feels, “It’s like a small community,
where everybody knows everybody, and you can ask anyone to lend a hand and they are
more than willing to do so.” Mrs. Webster said that the most important part of teaching is
just being there for the students and making sure they know the importance of their
education, because without education it is a lot harder than it needs to be. When Mrs.
Webster was little she said that she wanted to be a jockey. She also played basketball,
softball, and ran cross country and track. Some of her future goals are to start a family in a
few years, and to someday go back to Floyd County where she grew up and teach.