Frederick Douglass High School is tightening up its tardy procedures as hallway congestion continues to slow students down during block changes.

The goal isn’t to hand out punishments – its consistency. 

“I don’t know if it’s cracking down,” says Mr. Carpenter, Dean of Students. “It’s just following through with expectations. Being on time is a life skill.”

The school tardy system starts with a warning for the first five tardies. Around eight to ten tardies, students receive a one-block reset, increasing to two blocks after that. 

Once a student hits fifteen tardies, the consequences get bigger.

“You’ll have a full day of reset,” Carpenter said. “Drivers face additional consequences, since juniors and seniors may lose driving privileges if tardies continue.” 

Carpenter believes hallway crowding comes from students misjudging how long they actually have. 

“Students have their own idea of the timeline,” he said. “A lot of social conversations, hanging out with friends, and not prioritizing getting to class on time.”

While the school continues to monitor traffic patterns and students behavior during block changes, administrators hope that staying consistent with the policy will improve traffic flow and get students to class before the bell rings.