Senior Skip Day has been a tradition for as long as anyone can remember. On this day, seniors trade backpacks, calculators, and alarm clocks for warm beds, remote controls, and homemade pancakes.
After seven semesters, standardized tests, and college applications, seniors reward themselves for all their hard work with a day of rest.
“I full–heartedly believe in the proud tradition of a senior class collectively skipping one day of school in the spring to get a little kooky,” said Matty Campbell ’13.
According to Assistant Principals Mr. Micinilio and Mrs. Morgan, senior internships’ increasing popularity has caused students to plan a second skip day during first semester, since most of the seniors would be gone by the time the usual skip day happens. However, rather replacing the normal skip day that falls during second semester, a first semester skip day that typicall takes place the day after Halloween serves as an additional day off.
Nicolette Weinbaum ’12 said that Halloween was an important factor in deciding on what day the first semester Senior Skip Day, last year, would occur.
“Essentially, everyone just wanted to recover from Halloween the night before, so a majority of the senior class said it was perfect timing,” said Weinbaum.
While some students are happy about the first semester skip day, which allows them to partake in Halloween festivities without having to worry about school the next day, others are nervous about the chosen date.
First semester senior year grades still matter just as much as any other year, and with college applications to worry about, a first semester Senior Skip Day sounds a bit risky to some.
The administration agrees a skip day should only take place second semester.
“I don’t think that Senior Skip Day is a responsible idea for first semester seniors because it’s an extremely busy time for us with our schoolwork and college applications,” said Harriet Jones ’13.
“I think Senior Skip Day should remain a second semester tradition.”
“If you get halfway through second semester and decide you want to be part of senior skip day, I understand that,” said Principal Dodig. Dodig also believes that organizing two Senior Skip Days is disrespectful to the hardworking teachers that put in time to come up with lesson plans for students every day.
Weinbaum agrees and didn’t participate in last year’s first semester Senior Skip Day because of her schoolwork and possible penalties from her teachers.
“Mr. Aitkenhead made it clear that he would highly recommend us showing up to AP Environmental the next day. Otherwise, we had certain consequences,” said Weinbaum. “I think he was being pretty fair; I understood where he was coming from.”
The key term in “Senior Skip Day” is “Skip.” Many parents, Principal Dodig said, call in sick for their children, giving them the luxury of missing school with no consequences for being absent. However, other parents do not condone Senior Skip Day.
Cathie Sych, mother of Staples students Felicia ’13 and Matt ’07, believes that while seniors do deserve recognition for their hard work over the years, a skip day is not necessary.
“I do not condone it,” Sych said. “Choices have consequences and you made a poor choice.”
