6 minutes to get to class. You’re chatting with your friends and hear an abnormal sound…and detect that you should run. Could this be a tardy sweep?

Principals came to the decision that they need to group together to determine each other’s next availability and after use that time to have a tardy sweep. 

Sophomore Zyon Thompson, predicted that the next tardy sweep would be October 28 that following Friday because it’s a half day. Nonetheless, he was incorrect. Though Thompson stated he doesn’t find a hallway to be most likely crowded meaning he can get around and to class on time if he so chooses. He, however, thinks tardy sweeps are unfair. 

“We’ve got a lot going on in life, walking to a class is like walking upstairs to heaven you never know how much you’re going to walk until you get there. We have the biggest Parkway school. Some people have to walk all across the world, and we want to see our friends and everything we can’t possibly do that all in six minutes,” he stated. 

Thompson stated he’s never officially been caught in a tardy sweep, however, he has over ten tardies. He said when he hears rumors of a tardy sweep he makes sure to attend class on time to avoid consequences. 

“Mrs. Perkins has given me a detention before but usually the principals send me to Dr. Sebold, and she handles the situation most likely by giving me an after-school detention,” he said. 

Junior Tyler Dworman, agreed tardy sweeps are unfair stating that if you’re 5 minutes late that should be fine. He has concluded that the hallway by the Commons is the most crowded between classes. Like Thompson, he said he also has racked up the tardies. 

“Double digits maybe,” Dworman said, checking the number of tardies on Infinite Campus. 

Besides being late to class, students are also being pointed out for doing things out of school “character” such as horseplaying, heated arguments, and skipping class. These students are taken from the scene and sent to their head grade principal for a discussion which later along the line can result in further punishment or after-school detention. 

Special School District teacher Vanessa Hill, said the reasoning for after-school detentions could be for skipping class, being tardy, or caught out of bounds, or roughhousing.

“Young adults need to understand that getting on time somewhere is important. It shows that you’re prepared, you’re ready, and that you’re interested in what you’re doing. Not necessarily school, but work, or if your kid has a soccer game, or if you have dance practice, being early shows that you’re ready to work,” Hill said.  

After a tardy sweep is announced, all teachers are required to close their doors and whoever is still in the halls has to go down to the Commons and get detention for being late. After that, they go back to class.

Hill also stated that she doesn’t find tardy sweeps unfair. 

“But I do see the same students in the hallway that are late–all the time,” she said. With a struggle to get to class on time, Hill said she thinks the end of the English hallway leading into the business department is the most crowded hallway in the school.

Business teacher Greg Shuermeyer, says during his 3-hour detentions, he gives the students a privilege of a 10-minute break because he knows students cannot sit that long in silence. Within that 10-minute break students often forget they’re in detention. 

Shuemeyer also states that he doesn’t enjoy giving out detentions to students, as long as he knows they’re trying to get here, if the student is a minute late he’ll understand but 5 minutes is unacceptable. 

Shuermeyer also monitors the detention rooms. He says years ago the average number of students in the room went from 7-9, now he states it’s an average of 16-18 students in the room, and is constantly jam-packed.