By: Taylor Riley
If the twenty-two credits required for graduation have been acquired before senior year, why are students required to stay in school for a full day?
According to the Shelby County Schools policy, students must have 4 English credits, 4 Math credits, 3 Science credits, 3 Social Studies credits, 1.5 P.E. and Wellness credits, 6 Elective Focus, Fine Art, and Foreign Language credits, and a .5 Personal Finance credit.
By law, Tennessee requires students to be in school the entire day unless they are enrolled in a work co-op marketing course.
At Germantown, Work Co-Op is taught by Carrie Likley. Students must fill out an application to be approved and signed by their parent, Mrs. Likley, and the principal. In order to be enrolled in Co-Op, the student must be a senior and must be taking a marketing course: marketing I, sports and entertainment, or entrepreneurship. The student must also have a marketing related job and work at least 360 hours for the entire school year in order to get the full credit. After sixth period, students report to the attendance office where they sign out for the day and are required to leave campus immediately. Mrs. Likley does on-site visits weekly.
“I go visit them once a week at their jobs to make sure they are doing what they’re supposed to do: showing up on time, dressing appropriately. Every time I’ve [gone], they’ve been doing a great job. When you do a great job at school, you always do a great job at work,” said Likley.
Other school districts like the Desoto County school district allow juniors and seniors to be released early if they are employed and have a work permit on file.
According to the Southaven High School handbook, “Juniors (after 3rd block) and seniors (after 2nd block) may be granted a work permit upon receipt of a written application from a parent. Students are expected to leave at the time designated on the permit and not return during school hours. Students who fail to abide by this policy will have their permit revoked and will be scheduled into a class. In addition, work permits may be revoked and academic interventions may be required if satisfactory grades and progress reports are not maintained.”
Although Germantown will begin their optional program in the upcoming school year, offering many more academic and course privileges, there are no plans to release students any earlier even if they meet the credit requirements.
If the twenty-two credits required for graduation have been acquired before senior year, why are students required to stay in school for a full day?
According to the Shelby County Schools policy, students must have 4 English credits, 4 Math credits, 3 Science credits, 3 Social Studies credits, 1.5 P.E. and Wellness credits, 6 Elective Focus, Fine Art, and Foreign Language credits, and a .5 Personal Finance credit.
By law, Tennessee requires students to be in school the entire day unless they are enrolled in a work co-op marketing course.
At Germantown, Work Co-Op is taught by Carrie Likley. Students must fill out an application to be approved and signed by their parent, Mrs. Likley, and the principal. In order to be enrolled in Co-Op, the student must be a senior and must be taking a marketing course: marketing I, sports and entertainment, or entrepreneurship. The student must also have a marketing related job and work at least 360 hours for the entire school year in order to get the full credit. After sixth period, students report to the attendance office where they sign out for the day and are required to leave campus immediately. Mrs. Likley does on-site visits weekly.
“I go visit them once a week at their jobs to make sure they are doing what they’re supposed to do: showing up on time, dressing appropriately. Every time I’ve [gone], they’ve been doing a great job. When you do a great job at school, you always do a great job at work,” said Likley.
Other school districts like the Desoto County school district allow juniors and seniors to be released early if they are employed and have a work permit on file.
According to the Southaven High School handbook, “Juniors (after 3rd block) and seniors (after 2nd block) may be granted a work permit upon receipt of a written application from a parent. Students are expected to leave at the time designated on the permit and not return during school hours. Students who fail to abide by this policy will have their permit revoked and will be scheduled into a class. In addition, work permits may be revoked and academic interventions may be required if satisfactory grades and progress reports are not maintained.”
Although Germantown will begin their optional program in the upcoming school year, offering many more academic and course privileges, there are no plans to release students any earlier even if they meet the credit requirements.
