by Noah Li and Kelly Scollard

During the first week of school, Grady students and faculty grew accustomed to the frequent pings of the intercom system. Assistant Principal David Propst came on the intercom, often several times in the first 15 minutes of each class period, to insist that each teacher complete and submit his or her attendance count to the office.

This repetitive emphasis on record keeping is part of Grady’s completely new approach to student attendance this school year. The shift, implemented by Atlanta Public Schools, alters the progression of consequences for truants systemwide. The Grady Attendance Committee embraced these changes and adopted a stricter position towards its existing policy regarding absences and tardies, especially those obtained by skipping.

Due to the changes mandated by the system, advisement teachers are now responsible for monitoring their students’ daily and weekly attendance. After three full-day unexcused absences, the advisement teacher is to contact the student’s parents, fill out a social worker referral form and then transfer responsibility to the student’s counselor.  After the fifth or sixth unexcused absence, the counselor reports the student to Uraina Scott, Grady’s social worker. The Attendance Committee determines the ensuing course of action. These actions range from a parent conference to a suspension, or even a home visit from Scott. In the past, attendance monitoring fell solely to the Attendance Committee, but the delegation of the first step to advisement teachers allows the committee to focus more on repeat offenders.

That focus has recently been aimed at reducing the number of students cutting class. From the 2011-12 school year to the 2013-14 school year, the percentage of students caught skipping increased by 50 percent. Debate coach and literature teacher Mario Herrera agrees that skipping is a serious issue.

“I think Grady students love to not be in class,” Herrera said, noting that students abused Grady’s inconsistent attendance enforcement. “I’m not sure if [the new attendance crackdown]’s the best policy, but we need a strong policy.”

Grady administrators didn’t stop with revamping the attendance policy. They also identified the primary places Grady students frequent when playing hooky. Propst communicated with the managers of nearby establishments including Starbucks, McDonald’s, Popeye’s and Zaxby’s, requesting their assistance in catching skipping students. The managers are supposed to contact police authorities, a truancy officer, or Grady administrators directly if they suspect a customer to be a Grady student during school hours. The contacted authority is supposed to drive to the restaurant to confront the suspect. If the suspected skipper is found to be a Grady student, the officer would detain the student for disciplinary action.

The first time a student is caught skipping, he or she receives an automatic detention and a parent notification.  The second time, the student faces in-school or even out-of-school suspension.  Repeat offenders are referred to the social worker to be investigated.

Parents and neighbors have also been enlisted to assist the attendance enforcers by calling the school if they observe a student off campus.

“It’s like a family. … We’ve got eyes everywhere,” Propst said. “This is very important: be attentive, be on time, be respectful. You will succeed and you are not wrong. In the event that you are late, you are wrong. Am I right?”