NORTH BEND - What began as a temporary procedure to stamp out bomb threats that began appearing on bathroom walls two months ago, has become a positive attendance tool for North Bend High School.

The new policy, which locks late students out of class until their next period, has significantly cut down on tardiness and unexcused absences, taught students the importance of being punctual, reduced class disruptions and has limited lost instructional time - all without an extra district penny spent - said high school Principal Bill Lucero at the North Bend School District Board meeting on Monday.

“Before, a cattle prod didn't seem to get anybody moving,” Lucero told the School Board. “(Now) students are hustling to class. They are taking it serious. They are in there where they ought to be, ready to learn.”

Students have seven minutes to reach their classes. Those who dawdle and walk in late are sent to the school's study hall in the multipurpose room for the class's duration, Lucero said. For every tardy, students receive one detention. Teens who obtain hall passes are excused.

Prior to the change, which was originally intended to limit student movement as school administrators scrambled to deal with the ramifications of four bathroom bomb threats, students often crowded halls even after the final bell.

Lucero said this was unacceptable behavior as he presented photographs of the halls during class time before and after the policy was implemented. In the first image, students stood in small groups near their lockers as if they had all the time in the world. The second image showed only an empty hallway.

“The vast majority of them are in class now,” Lucero said. He added that teachers are pleased with the procedure, and most students are fairly accepting. “It's not a perfect policy, but I think we need to let young people know that being on time is important.”

Assistant Principal Bill Yester said when administrators saw how well the policy worked after implementing it in February, they decided to continue it. It will be re-evaluated at the end of the school year.

“It is just a completely different place now,” Yester said. “If there is someone in our halls, it's either an intruder or a kid with a pass.”

Lucero said it also saves class time. For example, if a teacher spends five minutes each day dealing with disciplinary issues during class, he said, that is the equivalent of about 15 hours or three weeks of instruction time that has been frittered away. Presenting a graph of tardiness from Feb. 1 to Feb. 15, before the attendance procedure, and March 14 to April 4, after it was introduced, Lucero said tardiness dropped from 1,554 to 175. Unexcused absences also have been decreased by about 800 absences in a two-week period.

A reward program also has been started to encourage students to be punctual, Lucero said.

After the presentation, School Board member Deb Reid said she is impressed by the new policy.

“I think it's fabulous. I can't believe it was that bad,” Reid said.

She asked Lucero what issues have come up since it was implemented.

He said one of the few complaints he has heard came from a parent stating students should be in class.

“We all want them in class,” Lucero said. “(But) there is a price to pay for somebody who is a minute late.”

He said first and fifth periods also can be problematic, as students will sometimes come in late because of issues at home. However, he said parents can come in with their children and have them excused, so the students will be sent directly to class rather than to the multipurpose room.

School Board member Robert Raper said the policy is teaching students an important life skill they will need in the real world.

“I commend you,” Raper said. “... You've done the right thing.”

During the meeting, one parent complained that staff members seem to have adopted a shoot-first, ask-questions-later policy in implementing the attendance procedure. She said her son, on one occasion, missed a day of school, couldn't get to his computer class on time because it had been moved the prior day without his knowledge. She said he got in trouble even though he had a valid reason for being late.

Lucero told her that the boy could speak with him to clear it up.

After listening to this exchange, School Board Chairwoman Carolyn Thompson said parents should air their concerns to Lucero so the policy can be shaped to accommodate everyone's needs.

“The idea here is to function as a district that serves all students,” Thompson said.