School to make wake-up calls to chronically tardy students

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By ANDREW POTTER - Staff Writer Times-Republican


Nearly 250 chronically tardy students at Marshalltown High School will soon receive wake-up calls at their home in an effort to get them out of bed and to school.

Students who have been tardy five or more times since March will be receiving the calls on school days between 6:30 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. from the district's automated calling system.

While originally slated to begin Monday, the program has been delayed, and will start sometime in the near future, according to Jason Staker, communications director for the Marshalltown School District.

"If we can get them out of bed and into school then it will work," said Lisa Wunn, dean of students at MHS.

Wunn said the idea came from a counselor at the school in a discussion about all the tardy students at MHS. She has not heard of any school district using this method.

Wunn said tardy students often give the excuse that they don't have an alarm, and she's hoping these calls will help solve that problem.

The morning message will start out by saying: "Good morning from Marshalltown High School. It's time to get up and enjoy the day." The message goes on to remind students when the first class period starts that day.

With the end of the school year nearing, Wunn said this will be a pilot program to see if the district will continue it next fall.

Parents can sign up to get their student off the list or on the list.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

The schools need to do everything they can to get asses in seats. If the kids doesn't show they don't get paid for that student that day. I'm not sure about tardies, but I imagine its affecting the cash flow. My kid was sick and missed 2 days, they wanted me to send him in on Saturdays to make it up They were notified they could go fuck themselves.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Yeah, but come on, school is supposed to prepare kids for the real world. If I oversleep and am late for work, my job isn't call me to make sure I'm up on time.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Parents are supposed to prepare kids for the real world. The school needs to get every dollar they can to stay in business.
I can see your argument, and I'm sure it wouldn't even be happening if the schools weren't the first thing every politician wants to cut funding on.

[FBD]

they'll cut the funding for "school stuff" light years before they'll start cutting those bloated salaries, or tenure...

I really had to give my cousin a beatdown when he was trying to explain how absolutely important tenure is shuddup you asshole, you're just about on the cusp of getting your golden gift of tenure, of course you're going to shill for it no matter how detrimental the overall effects are.

[Muddy]

The state of these kids these days is FUCKED... And It's our own faults.... Spoiling them like we do with all the technology they can choke on... And letting the Television destroy their freaking minds.... It's a shame and WE are to blame...