Where were all the seniors? Not here.

Thursday was the first senior ditch day of the year. Many all-senior classes showed a noticeable lack of students. Over 200 absences were recorded Thursday, according to attendance secretary Marcelle Montes.

Although ditch days cause the district to lose money, there is also a safety concern. Assistant Principal Celeste Barnette shared her worries about these ditch days. “I guess my biggest concern is wanting to make sure that people are safe. That’s the number one. The money thing, you know, it is what it is.”

In addition, Thursday was the first day of the second quarter, which means seniors taking AP Government/Economics began a new class. Because of this, seniors had to consider the impact of their absence and the message it can send to their new teacher.

Wednesday, the administration sent messages to senior parents and students to remind them that there are no school-approved ditch days and there would be the same attendance policies as normal.

Barnette stated this was done to stress the importance of communication and making sure that students were aware of the policy and consequences. “From the administrative perspective we just want people to make an informed decision,” Barnette said. “You’re almost adults. You make the decision that’s right for you. I have no problem with that. I just want you to know what ramifications there may be.”