Grace’s High School Attendance Hits Record Low Last Week
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Grace students are usually engaged, respectful, and conscientious. Grace prides itself on having a more than 90 percent attendance rate on an average school day. So, it was shocking that the percentage of students attending classes at Grace during the week of March 25th to 29th was under 30 percent.
We were given an ENTIRE week off from school, yet more than TWO-THIRDS of our student body thought skipping school and taking an extended break would be a good idea.
The Grace Gazette sat down with the Head of High School, Lorry Perry, to discuss this abominable absence rate.
“I try to see the good in everyone — really I do — but there is absolutely no good in the actions of the student body this past week,” Ms. Perry said. “In all my years of education, there has never been a week where less than 80 percent of the students showed up since the week before the pandemic. What could everyone possibly be doing!”
Echoing Ms.Perry’s concerns, it was disheartening to show up to a class with only two students.
Ali al-Maqtari, a French teacher, was trying to give a lesson about tense usage, when he noticed that only a few students were present. He thought a joke was being played on him, but when he looked at his emails from his students, there were none!
“We understand that spring break is a time to ‘let loose,’ but it doesn’t mean you can let loose of your education,” Mr. Al-Maq said.
However, it is not a one-sided issue. While some students were aware they had school, many genuinely thought the break was two weeks long.
Ben F. ‘25 said, “Last year was two weeks. The year before that was two weeks. Why is it one week this time?”
This sentiment rang true with many students who believed the many calendar updates and dean alerts were simply not enough.
Despite the disappointment of the teachers, the past is in the past, and most students enjoyed their extra week of relaxation. We all have some work to do though!
Milo Pesca ‘25 is a staff writer for the Grace Gazette.
The Grace Gazette and Ms. Perry would like to wish our readers a happy April Fools Day ?