A new school year comes with another chance to start over. Like trying new extracurricular activities. Adding rules and changing rules is something that is edited every year.
During the summer there’s no school dress code or homework, but adjusting back to the mood of school requires change.
“The new rule that seems to affect most students is the feather in the hair,” Assistant Principal Randy Hicks said. “The new rule is that students may wear attachments of a natural color.”
Last year the cancer-supporting boobie bracelets caused controversy, but this year the students cannot wear them.
“Students are not allowed to wear offensive clothing,” Hicks said.
He also said that other offensive items with slogans would not be allowed as well even if they were in support of cancer. Bracelets will be taken up never to be returned.
Some students may think they are in the safe zone when it comes to corporal punishment. Now students’ parents can change the students’ punishment when they want.
“In the student handbook it now states that a parent may change their child’s punishment whenever they want,” Hicks said. “We as a school would let the parents change whether their child got corporal punishment; now it’s in the handbook.”
Another change this year is the homework policy. Last year students had three days to turn in homework; this year it’s due the next day.
“Students took advantage of the three-day policy,” Principal Robert Chappell said. “Homework should be finished the day it’s due.”
Additions to the teaching staff were few this year, with only English teacher Angela Oaks, ag teacher Chad Orum and science teacher Stephanie Rodriguez taking positions.
This year is the beginning of “real” End Of Course Exams for the class of 2015.
“This is the first year for biology to have a Star Test and it should be tough,” Rodriguez said. “But I think the students should be fine.”