What! Late again! Seniors can be seen running from their cars trying to arrive to class on time on a daily basis. Besides expectations of graduating, tardiness and absences are often an issue for seniors.

Many have termed this problem ?senioritis.? The issue usually kicks in early on in the school year. According to Cheryl Pohl, campus secretary, approximately 15 students arrive late to first period everyday.

Some do not comprehend how their laissez fair attitude and bad timing can affect report cards. Students do not think that college admissions counselors question tardiness.

However while most students do not have a legitimate excuse for being late, senior Paul Kinnear claims inadequate transportation as his alibi.

?Well, sheer ingenuity stops me from getting to school on time,? Kinnear said. ?But really my parents won?t give me a ride to school so I have to find my own way to school. This is why I never fail to be late everyday.?

Absences grow common for seniors due to apparent apathy. Motivation becomes foreign to seniors and creates a lack of interest for positive citizenship participation.

?For me, I think it is more of the fact that I don?t have much motivation because it?s my senior year and it doesn?t matter as much as my past years,? Kimberly Bimat, ?06, said. ?I think that the school should give seniors first period off to avoid absences.?

As many teachers mark absences, others realize the common inability to make it to school. They understand that even teachers need to sometimes miss school themselves.

?I have been absent before,? Traci High, girls? P.E. teacher, said. ?Most times it was because I was sick and had a high fever.?

Punctuality not only proves to be a problem for students in school, but common for adults in the working world as well.

Regine Decatrel, teacher of Cynthia Merrill?s school of performing arts, has experienced major change in careers. Through these changes, she has developed a better understanding of the importance of reliably consistent students who will enter the working world one day.

?When one is working in a career, it is always important to be on time and not to miss [work] as much as you can,? Decatrel said. ?Especially out of respect for your boss and overseers, otherwise you may be fired and possibly given a bad reputation for rehire.?

Yet many do not understand that future choices and outcomes can be altered because of routine tardiness. Habitual tardiness may result in an undesired development of a lack of incentive to succeed in life.

To find out more information about tardiness and absences, visit www.fresnochristian.com, under ?Handbooks? on the left side click on ?High School Handbook,? guidelines are under points 11.02-11.06, or call the high school office at 299-1695, ext. 5.