WOODBURY — Students of Nonnewaug have an option if they have a study hall, which is a leave-and-return pass that allows students in good academic standing to leave campus for that period. This privilege provides convenience and freedom as it allows students to leave campus to go get food, run an errand, or even go home.
It turns out that students have had this process misunderstood.
“All rules need structure; all young adults need structure,” says Nonnewaug dean of students Declan Curtin. “Most of the reasons why we have the sign-out, sign-in process in place is for student safety. We want to know where students are and that they are safe.”
Numerous students have been subjected to consequences because they weren’t following the leave-and-return policy. This policy requires students to sign out at the office upon leaving the school, and then they must sign back in when they have returned to the campus. If the guidelines are easy to follow, why would students break this rule?
The answer may be because of a simple case of confusion as to the extent of freedom the students have.
“To be honest, I don’t really know much about the ‘policy’ other than that I have the leave and return,” says a senior student at Nonnewaug who wishes to remain anonymous. “It’s nice to be able to leave and go get food when I want.”
Most upperclassmen with this privilege fall into this category, using a school provided privilege, but not returning it with the appropriate responsibility.
Students gain this privilege based upon the openness of their schedule, behavior, and grades. Aside from this, as long as they follow the few simple rules of signing in and out, students are given approval to utilize this privilege.
“You have to stop at the office and sign out and you are good to go,” says another anonymous senior with the leave and return privilege. “Once you are back you stop at the office and sign back in.”
This isn’t complicated: It’s not much to ask for and the administration stresses this continuously.
“I would like to say that about 75-80 percent of kids sign out,” says NHS Administrative Assistant Jennifer Graziano, who still sees students failing to follow leave and return procedures. “Most kids definitely know to sign out, it would be one thing if it was November, but we are in April I think it’s known by now.”
The secretarial staff see it all: kids coming and going, the rule breakers and the followers. For those that might know about the policy and continue to not sign out are the ones that may not care, rather than the students that may not know about the policy.
“I have followed the sign out about half the time, having an ag class and having to walk to the office is the opposite direction of the parking lot,” says an Nonnewaug senior. “It is more of an inconvenience now to have to go to the office, it would be nice if we could sign out from the ag building.”
Is this just lazy or a good point? Should students be able to sign out at different parts of the school or should it all be localized in the main office? Everyone has their own take on it, but the administration has one view on the policy.
“I think it’s a great system,” said Graziano. “It’s very independent. Students don’t have to check in with any teachers; they just walk in, sign out, and leave.”
