At the beginning of trimester two RAHS implemented a new attendance policy.

Principal Dr. Jen Wilson said that the policy is put in place with the goal to “increasing student attendance and decrease the number of unverified and/or unverified late absences which will lead to more student learning.”

The new policy states that if a student receives five or more “unverified” or “unverified late” attendance codes, they will be put on a “No Pass” system. “Unverified lates” are recorded when a student is absent from class for 15 minutes or more.  This would include a 15-minute tardy or being gone with the pass for over 15 minutes during a class period.

A student on the “No Pass” system is not able to take a pass to leave class on their own.  Instead, teachers will need to call for BIs to chaperone a student any time they leave class.

Additionally, if students have less than 80% attendance, they will be put on a trimester activities ban. This means the student can not participate or attend any RAHS activities, including sports, clubs, or dances, including prom.

In addition to an attendance ban, if a student is found skipping class, they will be told by staff members to leave the building.

Dr. Wilson said this new change was “Due to both the feel in the building and the data that showed we have too many students not in class. We know being in class increases student learning, which increases students passing class and graduating.”

In regards to student-athletes Dr. Wilson said, “Students who participate in after-school activities or athletics need to be equally engaged in their learning during the school day. This is an expectation of the MN State High School League as well as RAHS staff. We are hopeful that students will want to be in those activities or attend them, and that helps them be in class too.”