Everyone gets a streak on their attendance record every once in a while. Whether that be missing a couple periods due to a doctor's appointment, or getting late to school due to traffic, we'll inevitably be presented with two choices to clear our record: Detention, or Saturday school. So, what's the difference? Is one better than the other?
Detention: Best for a couple tardies
Length: 15 minutes during lunch.
Time: Sessions can start anytime, so long as they end before the bell rings. Worth: Every session clears 1 tardy. Two sessions clear one absence. This means that a tardy costs 15 min and a Regular day, single-period absence costs 30 min.
Environment: Only one classroom is open every session. Classroom of the day printed on detention slip, handed out at the attendance office. Loudness varies by teacher and classroom. Resembles a study hall, but basically everyone is there to clear their attendance. Typically, 2-10 students per classroom, with a median of about 6.
Typical session: Take out tardy slip. Walk to detention classroom. Fill out Google Form to track your 15 minutes. Sit down. Look at the 6 semi-dead, earphone-wearing students around you. Take out a laptop or notebook like everyone else. Do work or procrastinate for 15 min. Wait for teacher to call your name. Get out of the classroom or refill the Google Form to get an extra session.
Saturday school: Best for absences and perpetual tardies
Length: 4 hours on a Saturday.
Time: Lasts from 7:25 AM to 11:30 AM, with a 15 min break at 9:00 AM. Worth: Every session clears 6 period absences, 3 block absences, 12 tardies, or a combination of these. This means that a tardy costs 20 min and a Regular day, single-period absence costs 40 min.
Environment: Multiple classrooms are open every session, with homework support in most school subjects. Focus level varies by teacher and class size. Some students attend to make up work, loan equipment, or get tutoring, but most people go to clear their attendance. Typically, 5-35 students per classroom, with an average of about 20.
Typical session: Check the schedule to see which Saturdays are available. Drive or walk to school. Wait at the front gates until teachers come out at about 7:25 AM. Line up in front of the teacher or subject you want for the day. Walk to the teacher’s classroom. Talk to a couple of students or stay quiet on the way over. Sign your name on the attendance sheet. Sit down. Take out a book, homework, device, or personal distraction. Do homework or procrastinate until 9:00 AM. Get out of the classroom for your 15 min break. Sometimes there’s free leftover fruit from the cafeteria box of unwanted food. Return at 9:15 AM. Do homework or procrastinate again. Get dismissed at 11:30 AM.
Comparing Detention vs. Saturday School
Length: Depends on circumstance. Detention is more time efficient if you’re just clearing 1 or 2 tardies, but Saturday school might be better for multiple tardies and absences.
Time: Up to preference. Some prefer shorter lunch sessions throughout the week, while others prefer grinding as many as possible in one weekend. Personally, I prefer Saturday school.
Worth: Detention. Each detention (15 min) is five minutes more economical than Saturday school (20 min) when clearing tardies. However, the 15 min detention time does not include time spent walking from your previous period to the classroom of the day, which may or may not be halfway across school. How fast can you speed walk? Just curious. Technically up for interpretation.
Environment: Saturday school. It’s Study Hall 3000. You get to choose the classroom, multiple subjects are available, and students are generally focused on their work. But that’s just an opinion.
Conclusion: It’s up to each student. Everyone has different needs and preferences. Some will prefer the short sprints of detention and others the custom runs of Saturday School. You know how to best use your own time. Or maybe just… keep a better attendance record.
The ultimate face-off! Everyone has to clear their attendance every once in a while. So, which option is better?