Better Late Than Never

I couldn't resist getting my thoughts out today. I spent the day conversing with seniors who have a long way to go to complete their graduation requirements by the initial May 21st senior deadline. Even though this is a process I started last week, each day seems more and more amazing. I cannot help but wonder WHAT SOME OF THEM ARE THINKING. It's as if they expect an angel to swoop down from the sky and save them. Well, they get no angel, they get stuck with me instead saying, "what were you thinking?", "no, you are not going to work today, do I need to call your boss?", "call me tonight after you get signed up for the course that you must finish by the deadline." While I sit in amazement, I know I will be hugging and crying with the ones that pull it off and walk across the stage as a graduate on June 3rd. However, what about the 5 out of 25 that I put a star by after I finished speaking with them to symbolize, "it's gonna take a miracle."

WELL as I was going through my mail tonight before leaving work, I ran across my current edition of American School: The Source For School Leaders. Not really trying to read it, as I had pulled another 14 hour day, I laid it on my desk as I continued. Slowly it opened to the center of the magazine....the words "Better Late Than Never" were plastered in white blocks across the middle of the page. Jim Hull proceeded to tell me the importance of finishing, even if more than 4 years. His research showed that "4.6 percent of the students who started high school in the fall of 1988 needed more than 4 years to finish." He gave additional statistics on the long term residuals for students who finish vs. students who drop out.

I have 12 more students to see tomorrow and even though I am committed to get them across the stage on June 3rd, I am more committed to getting them across the stage. It would be nice if others recognized the work of schools in getting students to graduation, however, even if no one notices, we have always been a group of professionals who were intrinsically motivated. We do this work for the love of the game. So to all the teachers, administrators and guidance counselors who will be working to keep the students motivated after the excitement has waned, help them remember their options. Help them realize that down is not out.