INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

First, how does truancy work and how is it handled?

The truancy is based on a certain number of absences that you have consecutive absences that you have in a row. And then what we do is we file a letter. Douglas County has a process. So we file a letter, and then in the letter you ask the parent and the student to respond to it. Then if that doesn’t respond to that, then it goes to the county attorney. Okay. So that means basically, it’s a whole long process and steps that you go through

How does attendance work now?

it’s the same as always, you got to be in class, right? And it’s a little more challenging to take attendance because of the mods. That makes it a little bit more challenging. So that’s why we’re trying several different things with the scanners in different ways to, to identify where people are at and where they’re supposed to be and what they should be doing. So, it’s still it’s the same as always, it’s just it’s a little bit more challenging with the different models.

Do students have to scan to single months?

They do, because we’re required to take attendance during those time. So we are trying to teach everybody how to do that. We want to get back to using the scanners for those that we’ve had a problem and today we tried it again and we had another issue because it counted everything. So we’re trying to figure that out.

How does flex mod schedule work with a reduced schedule?

It’s a little bit of a challenge because everybody’s schedule is different because of whatever their class courses. So based on each individual student’s schedule, we would have to determine which mods that they could take and that they could have off. Typically, reduced schedule is only for seniors. So you know, when students are asking about Can I skip this or Can I skip me do I get these mods off? Or do I get these mods off? They really need to meet with an administrator to go through their schedule because you have to be here, six full periods. 

What do admins do if the teacher they need to go to is in a room that is not available on adaptive scheduler?

Yeah, that’s probably one of our biggest challenges as we try to fit those we try to implement this type of a schedule. A lot of teachers have shown a lot of flexibility and will meet with students at different times if they need to. Students also need to understand that if they need help with math, there’s a math teacher open every minute of the day. So they can get assistance that might not be their teacher, but they can get assistance and it works that way. For almost all the core areas. it might not be your specific teacher but you can always grab help if you need it.

How has attendance been affected by the new schedule?

it’s been a challenge. We’ve had a lot of truancy this year, but part of it part of it’s been because of COVID too. I mean, there’s just been a lot of issues. You know, every school I talked to this year is having attendance issues and with a different schedule that creates some different challenges, of course, but everybody’s seeing the same thing that attendance has been around challenge this year.

What is the plan to stop increased absences?

Well, we just continue or try to communicate better. Be diligent about contacting families finding out reasons for absences trying to direct you know, hold people accountable, which is an issue and continue to use the process the truancy process.

What plans do you have for ILT next year and what changes do you plan to make?

There’s some we’re trying to do is eliminate their single mods, because those are the ones that are our real challenges. So as we look for the schedule below for next year to try to eliminate single mods, as much as possible, or eliminate some of the overlaps that students have that’s been kind of an issue is trying to figure out overlaps. So those are the areas we’re really trying to work on.