Mark Leoni, a teacher in the Math department thinks sometimes it’s acceptable to miss school. If you have a sporting event you have to attend, he thinks it’s OK. However, if students are skipping school just because they’re “tired” it isn’t acceptable.

            With a possible trip to state coming up for Arrowhead’s football team, Leoni said, “I think it is acceptable for students to get out of school (provided it’s acceptable with their parents) to attend the event and support the team. Not just to skip school and go home or elsewhere and not attend the event.”

            With having Arrowhead colors in the stands at State competitions, Leoni said, “Having the support of the school definitely helps the confidence in the team and it’s also a great way for the athletes to see their hard work and accomplishments are being recognized.”

            Not only is Leoni a Math teacher; but he is also a basketball and soccer coach.

“When the basketball team went to the state tournament in 2006 and 2010 and the soccer team in 2003 and 2009, the athletes and coaches loved seeing the support of Arrowhead’s students. And along with seeing students in the crowd, it definitely didn’t hurt the performance of the student-athletes.”

            But Leoni doesn’t always condone missing school for high school competitions, or club events: “The more time and work an athlete misses due to club events, the less successful they will probably be in the class. If the event(s) are a once in a while thing, I think that would be reasonable. However, if they are more consistent or if the athlete is out for a longer period of time, that might be different and more difficult.”

            Leoni said, “I once had a student miss two weeks because she was the goalie for the National Women’s Hockey team and she made up all the work while she was away, as well as talked to me before leaving and upon her return about concepts she didn’t understand. It was a great example of how it can work.” 

            Leoni understands excuses for sporting events but what he doesn’t concur with is if a student “is tired, so they take a day off.”

“If a student makes a conscience decision to stay out late or participate in an event (school related or not) that keeps them out late, they should be on time to school the next day.”

            The infamous “Senior Skip Day” is another event Leoni “treats as any other day”.

“If the seniors skip, they are expected to make up any work that they miss. If the day happens to be a test, they would be required to make up that test. I do not intentionally schedule tests for a senior skip day. However, if a senior is going to skip, don’t have mommy or daddy call you in sick. Face the consequences of the decision you make to skip. It is not ‘Make Up an Excuse to Get My Child Out of School Day,’ it is ‘Senior Skip Day.’”