Teaneck High School Kicks Off Anti-Tardiness Campaign

For those who lack punctuality, the motto “better late than never” may work as an excuse in certain situations. But at school, being tardy only works to interrupt the teacher and disrupt the classroom environment.

To help eliminate this problem,  has partnered with Hot 97 FM (with corporate sponsorship from Lincoln Technical Institute) to initiate the “WakeUp! Teaneck High School” campaign.

The high school held an assembly Monday morning to officially kick off the campaign.

Javalda Powell, assistant coordinator with the THS Forum, is spearheading this program, which also aims to eliminate absenteeism.

“The campaign is designed to motivate the students to get to school on time every day, so we’re looking to decrease the number of tardiness for each class,” she said. “And it’s not a huge issue for us, but it is an issue. We want 100 percent of the students to get here on time.”

Hot 97 Promotions and Press Manager Kharisma Mitchell reached out to Powell about this campaign. Mitchell, who is a 2002 THS graduate, said Hot 97 ran similar WakeUp! campaigns last year at two schools in Queens, one school in the Bronx, and two community centers in Newark. THS is the first school in New Jersey this year for Hot 97.

“A huge part of HOT 97’s listeners are the youth and students, so we always have to make sure we’re providing the positive influence that’s needed for success,” Mitchell said. “Not only being at school but also being at school on time is a necessity in higher achievement and personal and academic development. It’s no secret that providing students with incentives and avenues that are relatable and fun can only assist in sparking motivation and excitement about learning.”

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched WakeUp! NYC earlier this year to get city students to class on time. According to a New York City Department of Education press release, that campaign included automated morning phone calls to students from celebrities such as Magic Johnson, Jose Reyes, Big Boi and more.

Powell said THS doesn’t have any celebrities lined up yet to make automated phone calls, but the school does plan on holding activities periodically to reward punctual students.

In order for students to be eligible for any incentives, they must have no more than one unexcused absence and no more than two Saturday detentions during the school year. Powell explained that being late three times leads to one Saturday detention.

“So throughout the year, they really have to be on top of it because if they don’t qualify, they miss an opportunity to come to a spring pep rally where they’ll be raffling off Hot 97 Summer Jam tickets and other big incentives,” Powell said.

An Oct. 6 tailgating event currently is planned as one incentive, and another event tentatively scheduled for November includes taking 20 students on a tour of the Hot 97 radio station.

THS Interim Principal Dennis Heck said his goal for the assembly was to make it clear to students that it’s important not to interrupt the educational process. Heck didn’t provide any figures for the rate of tardiness at THS, but he said he’s noticed less students wandering the corridors after the bell.

“The kids who used to be in the hallways or stairwells after class started – I’m not seeing them anymore,” Heck said. “Our efforts are working.”

Heck said he plans to look back on attendance records from the start of this school year and compare that to records going forward to see what improvements, if any, occur as a result of this program.

Powell said the campaign, which comes at no cost to the district, is more about addressing tardiness before it becomes an issue.

“Our history in Teaneck has always been to be proactive, and we constantly reevaluate ourselves to see where we can improve, and this is an area where we feel like we can make a difference,” she said.

Powell said the high school also takes a broader look as to why a student may be chronically absent or late. Counselors are made available to students who may be dealing with issues at home.

“We’re working with parents, and we’re looking at the whole child,” Powell said. “It’s not necessarily that someone doesn’t want to be in the classroom, but there may be other issues involved. Through the Forum and other support services, we’re able to really close the gap on a lot of that stuff.”

THS Senior Class President Jordan Jeanty said when he walked into the Monday morning assembly there was music playing from a DJ and there were dance competitions for students and teachers.

"It was one of the best assemblies I've ever been to," he said. "It was really cool."

Compared to last year, Jeanty said he’s noticed a decrease in tardiness at school.

"I don't know what's changed, but it's like a completely different school," he said. "Last year you might have seen five to 10 students in the hallway during class, but now the halls are clear."

Jeanty said he thinks the encouragement from teachers to come to class on time may be helping.

"I think it's good that the school has started this program to stay on top of this issue," he said.

For more information about the campaign or to assist in securing incentives for students – such as celebrities for wake-up calls – contact Javalda Powell at 201-862-2481.