by Rachel Cheong . co-Editor-in-Chief |

From May 25 onwards, when seniors start to turn in textbooks, the administration will once again be locked in a struggle to get textbooks returned.

“Each student is responsible for about $300 of textbooks,” AP Steve Zimmerman said. “When they don’t turn in the books, they get charged for that.”
Seniors who don’t pay or find their books can’t walk the stage for graduation, although they still will graduate. Underclassmen won’t get their report cards over the summer and won’t be able to check out new books the following year.

Still, the hassle to the school is much greater than the hassle to the students, in the long run. The state demands reimbursement for books the school is unable to return.

With the amount of money lost last year to unreturned textbooks–about $5000–the school could have paid for 50 graphing calculators, a two day trip for a sports team with hotel fees, transportation, and meals included, or all of the senior activities for the entire year.

Zimmerman recommends that to avoid losing books, students use their lockers, not leave their books in their teachers’ classrooms, and find their books before the due date–which can be extended until June for the really forgetful.

The problem should be somewhat alleviated in the years to come.

“A lot of classes do have class sets and it does help, but there are some classes we simply don’t have class sets for, because we’re a new school. As we adopt new books, we get class sets,” Zimmerman said.

The administration will continue to set ambitious standards for textbook returns.

“I’m going to say $0.00,” Zimmerman said. “That’s my goal.”