As the end of the 2022 school year approaches, seniors begin their final days at La Sierra High School and one of those days was senior check out on Monday, May 23rd from 9:30 AM to 11 AM. 

This is Crystal Langfitt. I had the pleasure of interviewing our Assistant Principal, Mr. Schwandt, and ASB Teacher, Ms. Ayala, regarding the process for this year’s Senior Checkout. I also got a few perspectives from our seniors on the day of senior check out. 

Crystal Langfitt: What is senior checkout for?

Mr. Schwandt: Senior checkout is to make sure our students have turned in all their books, Chromebooks, anything that belongs to the school gets back to us. Also, if they have any fees from AP exams, club fees, or teacher-issued fees, that they pay those to make sure they’re all clear so that their counselors are checking, making sure their transcripts show they’re actually going to graduate. We need all those things checked so we can issue them a diploma.

Crystal Langfitt: How is the process for senior checkout going to look like?

Mr. Schwandt: Students will be receiving a card with their information on it on Thursday, May 19th, or Friday, May 20th, with two places for them to go. One of them the library; either library staff or a senior teacher will sign off that they turned in all their books and that they have nothing checked out to them. And then, they will stop by activities and get their card signed off by Ms. Irene, or a teacher helper to make sure they paid all their charges. Or, if they’re buying cords or stoles or things like that, then they’ll bring that card to the field to show that they went through the process and then they’ll be able to hang out, play games, and have donuts before they get ready for lunch.

Crystal Langfitt: Can you give a few tips to help the process of senior checkout go quicker? 

Mr. Schwandt: I would recommend that seniors bring their textbooks in the next couple of days rather than waiting until Monday to do it. Same thing with paying fines, or fees, or buying cords or stoles, they can do that as of today. A tip would be, if you don’t need your textbook or Chromebook, to turn those in as soon as possible, but only if you can use another device that you have at home, they can get the process done faster that way.

Crystal Langfitt: Why is senior checkout before graduation and not the day after graduation?

Mr. Schwandt: Good question, so this last week of school is basically the senior’s last week. The reason why is our teachers and counselors need to make sure grades are turned in. It’s mainly for students that need to be identified and told, “Hey, you can’t graduate.” Our counselors and our team need time to calculate those things and that’s what those couple of days are for. Before that, if they waited until after graduation because we wouldn’t want someone to walk the stage thinking, “Oh I graduated,” and then they’re told “Oh, you actually didn’t,” so we take those days before to let students know or have a conversation with them about, “Hey, you don’t have enough credits to graduate, or you missed a class,” and then we come up with a plan to get them on track so they can graduate in the summer, or if they’re behind so many credits, they would have to attend adult education to get their diploma. 

Crystal Langfitt: What is the event?

Ms. Ayala: Well, it’s seniors’ checkout. It’s for seniors to take care of any fines they have, return any library books, and get their cords for graduation to celebrate once they’ve taken care of all their school business. Then, they will have donuts and music games on the field.

Crystal Langfitt: What’s it going to look like?

Ms. Ayala: It’s going to be out on the field. There will be tables with balloons for donuts. There will be a table with options to purchase senior t-shirts. We will have all the lawn games spread out the field. We will have music playing. They can bring a blanket or a towel and sit with their friends and hang out. It’s kinda one of their last days to be on campus at La Sierra.

Crystal Langfitt: Will they sign out and that’s it for senior checkout?

Ms. Ayala: They’re going to the library. They’re going to Activities. They’re going to the field for donuts, music, and games.

Crystal Langfitt: Will there be any kind of ceremony for seniors? 

Ms. Ayala: Well, graduation ceremony is on Wednesday, then we had our Commitment Day ceremony as well.

Crystal Langfitt: Why is senior checkout important?

Ms. Ayala: It’s important because seniors need to take care of all of their school business before they graduate.

Crystal Langfitt: Can you give a few tips to help the process of senior checkout go quicker? 

Ms. Ayala: Get here on time at 9 AM and go to all the stations.

Crystal Langfitt: What are the dates for senior check out, and will there be a make-up date?

Ms. Ayala: Monday, May 23rd from 9 to 12. Well, Tuesday, May 24th, is the Yearbook Signing party, so that would be the last day to take care of any of their school business before graduation. So if they don’t take care of things by Tuesday, they won’t be graduating.

Senior Perspective 

Crystal Langfitt: Are you excited for graduation and why?

Adrian Taylor: Very excited for graduation. I get to move on with my life. I’m gonna be sad about leaving high school, but hey, you gotta let things go.

Crystal Langfitt: What are some things you had to do to graduate?

Adrian Taylor: To graduate, I had to stay up some very late nights, two to three in the morning, and sacrifice my hours of beauty sleep.

Crystal Langfitt: What mark do you feel that you are leaving for the next graduates?

Adrian Taylor: The next graduates? That’s a hard question. I don’t know, I feel like I haven’t left a mark on the school. The only thing I’m probably going to be remembered for is, “Hey, omg, that’s that one guy in the tutu, no way, the guy from powderpuff!” So, maybe they would have to live up to our powderpuff skills!

Crystal Langfitt: Are you excited for graduation and why?

Malasja Goode: I am excited for graduation because I’m able to start a new chapter in my life, and I’m able to put some old things behind me with this transition.

Crystal Langfitt: What are some things you had to do to graduate?

Malasja Goode: Well, I actually had to make up a lot of classes because of my junior year since I failed a lot of them. So I had to do a lot of makeup classes along with extra studying because I’m not a good test taker, so I had to make sure I passed my tests.

Crystal Langfitt: What mark do you feel that you are leaving for the next graduates?

Malasja Goode:  I feel like just my positivity. When I came to school, I was willing to talk to everybody and anybody, So I feel like, just my kind gestures and my openness to where anybody could come to me, and they’re comfortable with me.