Naperville principal gives scoop on ditch day
Here’s living proof no good deed goes unpunished.
City Editor Bob Smith had talked to a few Naperville Central High School theater students for stories we were doing. So impressed was he with the students’ thoughtfulness and poise Bob sent a quick email a couple weeks ago to Principal Bill Wiesbrook letting him know that.
Earlier this week, Bob was among several recipients of an email from Wiesbrook on the subject of “senior ditch day.” We can only surmise that our Bob was confused with someone at Naperville Central with a similar name.
The gist of Wiesbrook’s note to teachers was his displeasure that after numerous pre-emptive efforts, the majority of Naperville Central seniors created a five-day weekend by taking an unauthorized senior ditch day, with many parents quite possibly aiding and abetting.
Wiesbrook’s note was more than refreshing in its absence of the jargon and academese we often see from educators. It was a bit sarcastic without being snarky. It conveyed his frustration, laid down the law, but in a nonthreatening way.
Oh, what the heck. It’s not very long. See for yourselves:
Friends: About two weeks ago, I sent an #147;all staff#148; email encouraging teachers to expect seniors to attend class on Friday, April 29 (the days after PSAE exams). I also met with all seniors on April 21, and personally told them that they were expected to attend school on Friday, April 29. Finally, I sent a telephone call to the home of every senior, sending the message that they were expected to attend. The result? Approximately 500 of the 700 of the seniors were absent on Friday. @#*@#!Many of you teach courses with predominately seniors. Many of these seniors would like to #147;ditch#148; school on Monday, May 9th, the Monday following prom. The seniors are already ending school two weeks before the other 75% of our students, and will not make up the two snow days. I do not like the idea of the seniors #147;ditching#148; school twice in a two-week time span. As you make and communicate your plan for Monday, please emphasize that attendance is expected.Thank you! Bill Wiesbrook Principal It#146;s not every day that we come across such correspondence. But as my grizzled, cantankerous former editor told me many a moon ago, #147;Here#146;s the way it works: They have all these secrets. If we find out about those secrets, we get to tell all our readers about them.#148;
There#146;s a corollary to this as well: Just tell the story; don#146;t act as if your discovery is the story (there are exceptions to this, of course).
Justin Kmitch#146;s story gave Wiesbrook#146;s memo only a passing mention; he recounted the entire affair, anyway. As did Naperville North Principal Kevin Pobst, who had similar ditch figures that day.
Now, I#146;m presuming Naperville Unit District 203 wasn#146;t going to put out a news release on the unauthorized senior absences. But I would very much like to commend Wiesbrook for his candor and putting our Bob on his email distribution list. I#146;m hoping he#146;ll stay there.
Even if not, I#146;d still like for the Daily Herald to be a positive influence in this matter. So to all you Naperville Central seniors, please show up for school on May 9.
We#146;ll be watching.
jdavis@dailyherald.com