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Students to be rewarded for being on time

A new program initiated by Fallbrook Union High School (FUHS) will reward students who come to school on time, says John Hayek, assistant principal.

More than 1,000 FUHS students are tardy each week. It’s a staggering number, considering the achievements goals set for schools by the state and federal government – goals schools struggle to meet in the face of parental criticism and penalties imposed by No Child Left Behind and other legislation.

“Students arriving late to class are not only unprepared for class, but they distract the important anticipatory set taking place as the teacher makes the all-important initial engagement of the students,” says Hayek.

By offering an incentive to arrive before the bell rings, Hayek and other administrators hope to see the daily tardy number drop.

According to the California Department of Education, “Studies show that truancy frequently leads to criminal activity, drug use and incarceration.”

Many factors impact student tardiness, says the Department of Education, such as “having trouble relating to people; feeling resentment toward authority; using drugs or alcohol; being the victim of bullying; experiencing conflict at home; personal barriers like language problems, racial or cultural conflicts; and embarrassment because of a lack of suitable or clean clothing or teen pregnancy.”

Regardless of the reasons students are tardy, FUHS administrators have devised a way of improving on-time attendance: financial gain. Hayek has announced an incentive program to reward students who “demonstrate perfect attendance on a monthly basis.”

Each month, the names of all students with perfect attendance will be placed into a drawing. The drawing will take place on the school’s morning announcement TV broadcast. Like a “real world” bonus for achievement, a worthy student will receive a $100 Best Buy gift card as a reward.

According to Hayek, the gift cards are funded by the principal’s site fund, a fund set aside to recognize exceptional student excellence and achievement.

The same student can win more than once, he says, but the drawing is done monthly to allow other names to be “put in the hat.”

 

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