Senior Ditch Day Causes Major Repercussions
Senior classrooms were near empty during today’s senior ditch day.
Two hundred and forty seniors were absent from school today due to a planned senior ditch day that will cost the school $12,000, according to Assistant Principal Dr. Jeanne Jones. Jones said that this is a much larger number than in previous years, and amounts to two-thirds of the senior class. Thirty of the students were marked as ill.
The ditch day had a severe financial impact on the school, with the absent students costing SDA thousands of dollars. “We get $50 a day for each day a student is in a seat and that pays for books, facilities, teacher salaries, etc.,” said Jones. “That’s how the school exists. Two hundred and forty times $50 is $12,000 that we lost today.”
Jones expressed dismay over the seniors who chose to take the day off. “What does it say to your teacher when 14 days before school is out you prefer to sleep in or go to Disneyland or something?” she asked. “What does it say to yourself about your commitment to your school and your learning? And what does it say to the underclassmen? What kind of example are you setting?”
“At some point as you get older you have to make a decision about your commitment, whether it’s your commitment to your school, to your job, to your education, to your family,” she said. “You make a decision on your personal integrity.”
The ditch day caused a school to take a substantial loss that Jones said she doesn’t think the students realized. “I honestly believe if our kids knew we would take this kind of a loss I believe they would’ve been here,” she said.
Unknown • May 25, 2016 at 11:29 pm
It’s surprising a senior ditch day was this successful. When I graduated a few years ago we didn’t have enough organization to pull something like this off. However, I doubt $12k is enough to seriously damage the schools budget, it’s more of a talking point to discourage the behavior.
James • May 23, 2016 at 10:29 pm
It’s sad that once again money becomes the topic of the day. I’m sorry, but senior ditch day is a tradition that I think students have looked forward to for three years! Yes, $12,000 is a lot of money, but why doesn’t the school budget for it…or hold a senior fair to raise money to cut the loss this day brings to the school? San Dieguito has become so progressive and hip. I challenge you…the students and the staff to figure out a once in a lifetime original solution to this issue. I have faith in you my fellow Mustangs!
Liz • May 23, 2016 at 8:41 pm
As an alumnus of SDA, it’s always good to see that [the administration] is still singing the same tune. Currently, I work for a district that actually sponsors senior ditch day as a sort of field trip and schedules a trip somewhere for all seniors as to ensure the school still gets money.
I think that is the way SDUHSD should look into doing things.