By Bryan Simo, Staff Writer
Starting April 1st, 2024, River Hill High School will be implementing a new late sign-in procedure to make the process more efficient. Coming only a few weeks after the implementation of the previous procedure, the new process hopes to get students to class faster and discourage tardiness.
On March 7th, 2024, River Hill unveiled an updated late sign-in procedure that requires students to use their phones to scan a QR code assigned to their Synergy account. The code then automatically updates their tardies rather than having students sign-in on paper and needing administrators to copy the information into Synergy. This week, the administration announced a new procedure that operates on the same principles but takes it a step further.
Over spring break, students should expect to receive their new ankle monitors. These monitors, which students will be required to wear to school every day, are linked directly to each student’s synergy accounts and will update their attendance as soon as they walk into the building.
The state of the art technology, designed by engineering students at Howard County’s ARL, features next-gen security features to prevent any tampering and always keep the devices up to date. The ankle monitors work hand in hand with the new security scanners, which will be placed at every entrance throughout the school to detect any student entering or exiting the building.
This change means that students will no longer be able to leave the building during school hours without approval from administration. According to principal, Mr. Motley, “now that admin will be notified when any student enters or exits the building, we’ll now be able to punish any students who attempt to leave the school premises during the school day.” The punishments range from “after school detention” to “flogging or hard labor,” along with other penalties for students who fail to wear their ankle monitors to school.
Additionally, next year, the school hopes to expand this policy to classrooms, which will have their own security scanners installed outside their doorways. “This is to keep better track of student’s throughout the day and monitor class tardiness as well,” says assistant principal, Mr. Robb.
Last year, Mr. Motley had this procedure implemented at his previous school, Atholton, and claims that there was a “62% decrease in overall tardiness” as well as a “36% decrease in students caught in the back stairwell during school hours,” which had an unrelated correlation with a decrease in the school’s teen pregnancy rates. Despite the potential benefits of the new policy, River Hill students and staff were quick to voice their concerns.
“No way this is legal,” says sophomore James Doberman, adding that the policy is “going way too far.” Another student, senior Anna Veltz feels the same, exclaiming that she’s “glad to be out of here in two months.” Even teachers aren’t fans of the new change, with Mr. Bob wondering “where the school even got the money for this.”
Despite concerns, Mr. Motley emphasizes that the new process is completely safe and that “students won’t even notice [the ankle monitors].” For those concerned about the monitors, the school will be offering an alternative microchip that supports the same functionality and can be inserted into the student with a minimally invasive procedure. Next fall, during the vaccination clinic, the school will be implanting these microchips by request, completely free of charge, courtesy of the PTSA.