Spring whirls in. College applications have been submitted. And second semester seniors maintain their focus and work even harder to complete their high school career successfully… don’t they? Wrong.
As summer nears and seniors prepare to start a new chapter in their lives, focus on academics takes a back seat to friends and free time. Despite the senioritis slacking, many teachers do their best to keep their students motivated and interested in their schoolwork. “I always try to make sure my class is worthwhile to be in, that students feel like they’re missing something by not being here,” said AP Government teacher Allison Cohen.
Langley assistant principal Mr. Corey Bowerman, believes that skipping has become the worst issue when it comes to senior slacking. “I’ve noticed that while slacking is consistently a problem among seniors, skipping is definitely the biggest issue,” he said.
Bowerman isn’t the only teacher who holds this viewpoint. “I’ve heard about the issue of students skipping class, so I’m pretty strict about attendance,” said Cohen. “I don’t really have to deal with that problem.”
In fact, even colleges have cracked down on the matter of senior skipping. Some colleges will often check up on students they have accepted by emailing their guidance counselors. These checkups ensure that students are working hard, keeping grades up, and behaving themselves in class. “Colleges will contact guidance, and will see if the students grades have dropped or if their attendance is poor,” said Cohen.
Although many teachers believe that seniors have put school as their second priority, some don’t think the same, such as Langley math teacher Ms. Vanessa Kreshover. “Although there has been a minor drop in homework completion, as a whole, I don’t think they’re all slacking,” she said.
The school as a whole is also trying to prevent senior slacking. “Seniors, after putting in three and a half years of hard work, don’t always take school seriously their last year. Their discipline fades,” said Langley counselor Mr. Tim Ready. “One thing that we’ve created that combats slacking in seniors is the Langley Leap. This allows students to gain experience in a functioning workspace.” The program creates networking opportunities for seniors by setting up 11-day internships for them at various locations.
Another method the school uses as an incentive to fight slacking is exempting seniors with good grades and attendance records from their final exams. “I think it’s a great idea because it really inspires me to do better in school, and with this motivation I’m really trying to maintain my straight-A report card,” said senior Amanda Baker.