Saturday school gets serious

The Saturday School system is used as a consequence for students who break the school’s code of conduct. The most common offenses that merit a Saturday School are cell phone usage in class and attendance issues.

Six tardies equals one Saturday School, as does any three cuts in any one class. Less common offenses that lead to Saturday Schools are lower classmen leaving campus at lunch, defiance or disruption and cheating of any form.
The sessions are held at school about 12 times per semester. Teachers sign up to supervise Saturday School sessions in their classrooms and are paid to do so.
The administration feels that too many students have been coming to Saturday School unprepared and not ready to work. The disregard for cell phone regulations and lack of respect of rules in some cases have led to this change.
Mount said that this year’s students will be expected to come to Saturday School prepared to work. Electronics of any kind and talking are not allowed, and poor behavior will not be accepted. Students must comply with their supervisor; otherwise, further punishment will follow.
“You’re going to do work for four hours,” Mount said. “It is not a party.”
Although it is acceptable to relax and there is no intention of creating a prison-like atmosphere, students are there for a reason.
“We can be kind,” said Mount. “But we don’t want it to be a reward. That doesn’t sound right, does it?”
It is also essential that students come ready with homework to complete during the session.
“Kids need to understand that they do need to come with work, prepared to work for the full time,” explains Mount.
Failure to do so will result in being sent home from Saturday School for the day, and the student will meet with Mount to discuss the situation.
“It just makes sense,” said Mount, “that if you are going to be there, use the time wisely and do your school work and make it work for you.”
Mount says numbers of attendees tend to increase as the year goes on because of the worsening of attendance records. By the semester’s end, Saturday Schools are usually full.
Ultimately, the school hopes that the number of Saturday School attendees will decline.
“Our goal is not to have a bunch of kids in Saturday School every Saturday,” said Mount. “I’d love it if it was empty every Saturday. It’d be great.”