Tag Archives: slide

Christian DiMartino, News

New attendance policy prevents truancy

Leave a comment

By Christian DiMartino

On a typical school day, students wake up, get ready, and make their way to school. They go from class to class, learning new things. However, some do not. Some students miss one day, and maybe another, and sometimes more than that. Whether it is for illness, personal issues,or simply just playing hooky, attendance is a problem.

What happens when a student misses a day of school? Usually a student will come in the next day, but they have to catch up on everything that he or she missed. But sometimes, a lone desk can be empty for more than a few days, and it could lead one to wonder: Where did they go?
Missing school may not seem like that big of an issue, but it is bigger than one might expect.Before the 2010-2011 school year, if students missed too many days, they would be forced to attend a class known as TEAM (Tuesday/Thursday Excessive Absence Makeup). Then by the tenth absence, a legal letter would be sent home, and any further days absent would result in expulsion.

But now, there is a new absence policy. If a student is gone for more than ten days in just one class, he or she might not even receive credit for the class.  The rest of the absence policy is as follows: On the fourth absence (excused or unexcused), a student receives their first legal letter. On the sixth, there is a parent conference. On the eighth, a student will receive another legal letter, they will pull their work permit, and then they will be placed on probation. On the twelfth, an expulsion is filed.

“When a student hits four absences, then I pick them up off of a print out that is run and two things happen: first, I see the student and the attendance policy. Second, a letter goes home to a parent,” said student liaison Becky Clifton.

Not only does missing school have an effect on students, but it also has an effect on the staff.
“I want you here so you can learn, but we also want you to learn the function of beingsomewhere on time every day. The reason we do that is so when you enter the workforce, you understand the importance of attendance,” Clifton said.

“There are quite often legitimate reasons for student missing school, however, there are far more absences than there needs to be. The grades suffer,” said counselor Jessica Newkirk.

“In math, it puts students behind and they lose that lesson. When students struggle,attendance is part of it,” said math teacher Randy Gianfagna.

“When you miss school, you miss assignments and the work that is coming, so it’s important that you come to school every day,” said assistant principal of student development Joe Voelker.

But here is one fact about the new policy; according to statistics provided by Voelker, it is working. Last year, there was 10,053 student days absent, which sounds like quite a number. But compared to 292,900 student days present, and the overall percentage for the year came to 96.68. So far this year,there has been a total of 1,669 student days missing. However, there is 299,438.50 student days present, and the percentage is 99.86.
But is the absence policy too strict?

“It’s fair… it’s set up so when you miss school because of being sick or court, as an example, you can file a waiver and it is granted, and I think the waivers are what make our policy fair. It would be nice if it were more strict, however, it would be more practical,” said Clifton. “Well, if we decreased the number of days we missed, it would be difficult for some students to survive that and this seems to be a pretty attainable policy right now. If we made it tougher, we have a small percentage of students expelled.”

“They’ve involved probation, and I think that the level of absences have dropped, because the attendance has improved,” said Newkirk.

“It’s gotten better, now with it just being eight absences; it’s gotten better,” Gianfagna said.

“I think it’s very good. I think it’s worked, I only deal with about 40 kids [in a semester] with an attendance issue, and I never have to meet with them again,” Voelker said.

Ferris Bueller, the lead in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, skipped school nine times and went out for an adventurous day with his two best friends. But in the meantime, someone was out to get him: his principal, Ed Rooney, who tracks Ferris all around Chicago so then he can catch him in the act. The movie may set a bad example.

But the question is: Are there people like Ferris Bueller? “We have one every year,” said Clifton. “But the policy that we have now doesn’t let them get to an extreme amount of absences.”

How about Ed Rooney? “It’s kind of what I do, but I hope I don’t look that bad,” said Clifton.
“There are times, but I have never actually tracked anyone down,” Voelker said.
So far this year, there has been a total of 1,669 student days missing. However, there is 299,438.50 student days present, and the percentage is 99.86.

Missing too much school can cause many problems, and it is a good thing that the rate isimproving.”There’s a benefit to coming to school. you learn more in class, socially also, you get along better because your friends see you as a dependable person,” Voelker said.

Bailey Hussung, Features

Upperclassmen prepare for college

Leave a comment

by Bailey Hussung

There is no way to forget it: college creeps ever closer. College seems to be right on top of juniors and seniors, especially when email inboxes are flooded with college spam. With all the glossy leaflets and fancy fold-out posters showing up in the mail, it is easy to become overwhelmed.

For FC students, junior and senior year is college crunch time. Junior Garrett Jones is feeling the heat. “I am taking really challenging classes this year, and since I know I want to major somewhere in the physical sciences, I am taking AP Physics and chemistry to prepare myself.”

Along with being extremely involved in academics, Jones is maintaining his extracurricular activities he said, because he would also like to be involved in music in the college of his choosing. “Being able to take both science and music classes are both big factors in why I am looking at University of Illinois, Maryland and Purdue.” Jones said he is still intimidated by the application process, and will continue to keep college in mind while making decisions.

“I’m scared most about making the right choice,” said senior Mark Merk. He plans to attend IU, but is still keeping an open mind. “I like IU; it’s close to home and it’s a great school, but I haven’t committed to anywhere yet.”

Merk knows all too well the stresses of trying to choose the right college. “I think the most important thing I have done to plan for college is make a game plan, it really gave me direction and focus.”

Though all students are at different levels in regards to their preparation for college, the counselors are there to guide any student to the right college for them. “We will sit down with a student, see what the colleges are looking for and direct them toward the website. Everything nowadays is online, and colleges want you to complete most things online, so that is the best place to go,” said guidance counselor Kirk Hamsley.

Hamsley has plenty to advice to offer when it comes to searching for a college. “My best advice for juniors and seniors is to take challenging classes, take the SAT and ACT, visit as many campuses as you can and most of all, put some money away for college.”

Hamsley said that students sometime did not utilize their years in high school, so they were unprepared for the rigor of college academia.

Hamsley said that visiting colleges was one of the most important components of finding the right college. “When you visit a campus, don’t be overwhelmed by all of the information they throw out at you. Pay attention to the campus layout. Sit in on a class that you will take if you go there, and listen to the professor. Think to yourself, ‘Can I listen to this guy for the next four years?’; really think about it.”

Of course, there can be pitfalls to the process. “It never fails, every year, that seniors don’t want to write essays for scholarships. I mean, it’s one page for usually about $1000, if you think about it, that is about 100 hours of work to earn that money, it doesn’t get any better than that,” said Hamsley.

Graduate Rachel Sieg, who is in her second year at Hanover College as a Spanish and biology double major, said she wanted to keep her options open when it came to colleges. “Not only did I take challenging classes, I knew they were looking for more than that, something to make me stand out. So, I made sure I had leadership positions, volunteer experience, extracurriculars, and passions that made me unique and desirable to schools,” said Sieg. She also took advantage of all of her allotted college visit days both junior and senior year. “The visit days are what helped me most. They gave me the feel of the campus and I found the school that felt right to me.”

Graduate Tyson Woolf, however, used his junior and senior year to discover what he loves. “My senior year, I was juggling the idea of being a theatre major, so I really threw myself into theatre to decide if that’s what I wanted to do.” Now a second-year theatre major, he said he does not regret his decision. “I was trying to choose between IU and Ball state, and last minute I went with Ball State; it had the extracurriculars I wanted, and a stellar theatre program.”

College applications can be daunting, but everyone goes through it. And with all the opportunities that FC students have, along with the assistance of the counselors, it makes the seemingly gargantuan task a little easier to handle.

“Remember that it is never too early to start thinking about college, and the more preparation, the better,” said Hamsley.

Alyssa Book, News

FC students tour Europe with Kentucky Music Ambassadors

Leave a comment

By Alyssa Book

As teens were busy enjoying their last weeks of summer, some got the opportunity to leave the country to pursue their passions.

Students from different schools were chosen to represent the Kentucky Music Ambassadors program as they traveled to Europe. FC students were joined by choir students from different schools around Kentuckiana.

FC graduate Hayley Fien enjoyed being with other choir participants.

“It was a great opportunity to meet new people from the same area that I never would’ve met because our schools don’t interact. I made some great friends that I will definitely keep for as long as I can.”

Senior Ted Hartog also said it was a good experience being with kids from different choirs and spending so much time together made it easy to branch out and meet new people.

Some locations that were visited included the London Embankment next to the River Thames, St. Severin in Paris, the Pfarrkirche in Seefeld, Austria, Mondsee Basilica in Austria, St. Mark’s Basilica, and Franziskanerkirche in Rothenburg, Germany. Music genres performed were  classical religious hymns, some American classics and some gospel music.

Fien described the daily schedule as jam packed and always having something fun to do.

“Well, depending on where we were, we would wake up around 7 for breakfast, maybe do an hour or two of sightseeing, possibly a performance around 2 or 3 from the band, then more sightseeing, then a performance by the choir and orchestra after dinner.”

The trip was led by University of Louisville choir director Dr. Kent Hatteberg. Many teachers and parent volunteers were also involved in the program. The trip was planned and prepared by Voyagers International.

Not all of the students had parents with them to share in the experience. Senior Regan Platt was one that went two weeks without her family.

“It wasn’t too hard to be away from my family at first because of all the chaos and excitement of arriving in Europe. After the first week or so it really hit me how far away I was and that was hard. Communication was little to none as I didn’t have my phone and I think that was the worst of it. Yet I knew that they were fine and I would see them soon, so I always kept that in my mind and just focused on enjoying the experience.”

Hartog was thankful for the opportunity, but was glad it was just a visit and claimed he would not want to stay there long term.

“It was a nice place to visit, not a nice place to live. I got homesick because water wasn’t free and you have to pay for bathrooms.”

With every person taking in the same sights and singing the same songs, each location struck different chords with students.

Fien’s favorite place was Switzerland while Platt was impressed by the atmosphere in London.

“It is a completely different culture and every street leads to something new and exciting. It was as if I’d stepped into a storybook. Truly it was just as I’d imagined. Rainy and overcast skies yet still just wonderful,” said Platt.

Students got to spend two weeks traveling Europe and making lasting memories that will stick with them forever.

Platt described the trip as majestic and as something that changed her entirely.

“I hold a new view of the world and what it holds, all the pictures we see in textbooks are real, they aren’t just flat images on a page. It is only when you see these that you realize how intricate this world is, your view shifts. Everything seems so much smaller and yet bigger at the same time. I know what it is to sit on the side of the Seine and watch the sunset, what it is to stand on top of the alps, I’ve seen the Eiffel Tower, and I’ve climbed the rocks out over lake geneva….so many experiences of which I will never forget. I learned what it is to be filled with wonder knowledge, and even now after all this I know I have to go back.”

Features, JT Samart, Uncategorized

Students explore Italy’s treasures

Leave a comment

By JT Samart

Nine hours. Nine hours is the time that lies between Latin teacher Lesley Austin and four students, and the trip of a lifetime. For some, this might have been a plane ride of boredom, but for Austin and her students, it is one of anticipation  This summer would lead them to a trip to Italy through EF tours to learn about the customs, history and culture. The tour will contain of viewings of Assisi, Florence, the Vatican State and Rome. “It was dope.” said senior Zach Nichols and most would have to agree.

Columns, Forum, Lexi Burch

New school offers new opportunities

Leave a comment

By Lexi Burch

Being a new student can be quite overwhelming. It is like starting freshman year all over again, something no one wants to endure more than once.  Meeting new people can be frightening and roaming around unrecognizable halls can make your head spin, but for myself, coming to Floyd Central meant something very different.

I have attended New Albany-based schools since Kindergarten, first Mt. Tabor, then Hazelwood, then NA. Starting new was the main reason I made the decision to come to FC. I wanted to meet new people and start school with a clean slate. The decision to leave NA was hard but the fact that I was moving to the county rival school made it even harder. “What would my friends think? What would my new peers think of me?” All these questions filled my head, but I had to go.

A summer and two weeks in and I could not be happier. My friends I already knew and the people I have met are amazing and the differences between the schools are definitely noticable. I would of never thought moving to a school that shares the same corporation would be so different. FC offers more of an open campus. You can roam the halls during lunch and in the morning, unlike NA where you are confined to the lunch rooms and certain halls in the morning. At NA teachers are more laid back, as at FC. Here, the teachers are
far more strict and make sure you work from bell to bell. There is far less clutter in the halls and sharing a locker is sort of fun. FC is a spectacular school and not many people notice until they are put into a situation like my own.
I am already so excited for this school year. I cannot wait to share unforgettable memories with my new friends and peers. All that worrying was for nothing at all.
FC welcomed me with opened arms and I could not be more thankful. This year will be the best, sharing my new year and new school with my new FC family.