Playing hooky? Not if you’re a rookie. Skipping school is not as easy as it used to be.

On Friday, March 15, a Keep In Touch (KIT) message will be sent out to middle and high school families informing them of the new policy directed at students trying to skip school without previous parental approval.

If a student is marked absent before 9:30 a.m., a morning attendance phone call and e-mail will notify the parents which they will receive around 10:00-10:15 a.m. “The purpose is to inform parents early about their child skipping school,” said Director of Student Services Ms. Sonya Williams.

At this time of year, however, many students tend to skip. “There’ll be so many calls to homes,” said sophomore Natalie Harris.

If the student is marked absent for the rest of his or her classes, another notification may be sent.

Some students think of this new policy as an appropriate way to combat skipping. Senior Jack Flatley said, “I think it’s an appropriate, especially if they’re skipping for unreasonable purposes. The parents have the right to know.

Although some students approve of it, however, some are questioning the logistics. Junior Sarah Anderson believes it only applies to upperclassmen. “It makes sense because first period is easy to skip, but I don’t think it’s a big deal for freshmen and sophomores because they can’t drive.”

Students like junior Shehzad Farooqi, however, think it’s unnecessary. “It doesn’t matter that much either way,” he said.

“I think it’ll be effective after school. That’s when students usually leave early,” said sophomore Hanna Hunt.