Diving Into the New Year
The Assembly Happenings
Good morning, Juab High School! On Wednesday, the eighth, Juab High School started its first day. Classes have begun, and students are getting up early again. The busy halls and new policies sure got students buzzing in the classrooms. The assembly was a great way to start the day and get kids to wake up and show that school spirit. Our amazing class officers and SBOs put on quite the show that morning. Well-thought-out choreographed dances and loud music were one of the many things that got students cheering and moving around. Our cheer and drill put on amazing performances and taught our new and old students all of the different cheers. After many games and dancing, it came down to the reminders. Juab is changing incredibly fast. The council has decided our fate, and feet have dropped. Let’s take a look at some of the changes you have noticed.
For starters, simple as it can be, our library is being remodeled. You’ll notice the opening is gone and classrooms are being made to accommodate certain aspects. Construction is going by fast; however, the change has made some students question the reason.
Secondly, for our upperclassmen, parking passes were issued. Little stickers have been asked to be put on the inside of your windshield. You were given a number and a few warnings. Tickets will be given out if a student is caught parking somewhere they shouldn’t be or for any other concerns: speeding, recklessness. The catch, however, is that the tickets aren’t going to the students at fault. Rather, they are hitting them where it hurts, and the cost is being sent to parents.
Thirdly, and the major game changer for sluffers and poor time managers is the ID cards. Rather than the classic and well-known “here,” you’ll instead hear a beeping noise. Scan your card when you’ve entered class to prove you were present in that class. A point system was built in for this new rule. It goes as said below:
Parent excused absence—+.1
School excused absence —+0
Tardy—+.5
Unexcused—+5
Sluff—+5
Scan in for a fellow classmate—+5
This policy allows a quicker attendance and a more organized way to keep track of students. However, even if a few seconds late, you’re marked tardy or unexcused. The biggest concern among students is how you get points, even when a parent excuses you. You could be sick, throwing up, high fever, even in the hospital. Points are still added. But if you are at a field trip, game, or some type of school-issued activity where you are unable to make it to class, they don’t add anything.
Lastly, phones. We can all admit, perhaps not out loud, that we have some type of attachment to our phones. It’s something students find comfort in. A quick glance at the time, a message from a friend, or maybe leveling up in a quick game. We are all guilty of distracting ourselves. Students who aren’t outgoing or as social may find relief in hiding behind a phone in their free time. The phone policy asks that the moment you walk in, you put your phone in some type of storage area issued by the teacher. It is to be silent and ignored till the bell rings to leave. Even if a student goes to the restroom, the phone stays. Exceptions have been made. But very rarely. This has been the biggest thing among students. The bell rings to go to your next hour, and you wait “patiently” as a horde of students attempt to retrieve their phones. The goal is to make it so students are more accountable for their learning and to make fewer distractions.
A lot changed in the span of three months. Juab High School’s goal for students is to bump up test scores and to prove that the teachers are doing their jobs. Strict policies have been put into place. The question now is, how long will it last?