The Road to Graduation: Senior Privileges

PC: NDSJ

From freshman year Zoom classes to the peak stress of junior year, the Class of 2024 has been through a tumultuous journey. However, no one can deny that the senior class has been working hard both in their classes and extracurricular activities. Also consider the labor involved in the college application process, and it’s clear senior privileges are due to balance these responsibilities. 

Each year, seniors are allowed a variety of privileges in recognition of all that they have contributed to the ND community. These privileges change each year, and are chosen through a collaboration between the senior class council and school administration. In the past, these have included late arrival and early release during free blocks, and non-uniform dress days. According to an email sent by Amy Battisti, Director of Student Life, the process begins in April of junior year when the “newly elected class council gathers suggestions for the class for possible senior privileges.” After returning to school in August, the official back-and-forth begins. The senior council presents privileges for consideration, and an administrative team either approving or denying the request. The factors that the administration considers are numerous and include “school safety, logistics, school rules and effect on the school community,” per Battisti. When the list of privileges is finalized, it is released to the seniors, and goes into effect soon after.

However, some seniors were dissatisfied with the final results. Many were hoping to be allowed to wear free dress on a weekly basis, as the Class of 2023 was. Nevaeh Brown '24 argues that previous classes have received this privilege, and that “we have earned our right, we’re seniors, we should be able to have the free dress Fridays.” However, she also acknowledges that she doesn’t “think it is as big a deal as people are making it out to be.” She added that she has been enjoying the privileges that were approved, including early dismissals and late arrivals with a free block, and being able to wear senior class shirts with uniform bottoms on Fridays.

Though it can get obscured in the nitty-gritty of the decision, the basis of senior privileges is celebration. Celebrating our accomplishments, our upcoming college acceptances, and graduation. So if you’re a senior sleeping in until 8:00 because you have Block 1 free, or putting on a senior shirt because it’s Friday, remember to not focus on the privileges we were denied but rather the ones we were awarded.