ETHS Principal Delivers Quarterly Update on Attendance

Quiana McNeal reports on student tardiness and unexcused absences at Evanston Township High School

Apr. 14, 2026 at 7:04am

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An abstract, blurred image of high school students walking through a hallway, with the scene composed of soft, warm pools of yellow and blue light.As ETHS works to address occasional student tardiness, the school's efforts to foster a positive, academic-focused environment remain a priority.Evanston Today

Evanston Township High School Principal Quiana McNeal presented data on student attendance and tardiness in her third quarter update to the District 202 Board of Education. She reported that around 90% of students had less than 5% of their absences labeled as unexcused, with most students having zero unexcused absences per week. However, McNeal noted that while most students do not have tardies, the tardies that do occur can add up and impact learning.

Why it matters

Tracking student attendance and tardiness is crucial for maintaining an academic-focused environment and ensuring students are consistently in class. McNeal's report highlights both positive trends, like high rates of on-time attendance, as well as areas for improvement, like reducing occasional tardiness.

The details

According to McNeal, approximately 90% of students had less than 5% of their absences labeled as unexcused, with 82-86% of students tallying zero unexcused absences per week. However, 27-28% of students collected one to two tardies weekly, and McNeal stressed the importance of addressing even small patterns of tardiness. She discussed initiatives like rewarding on-time students and implementing a new hall clearance procedure to encourage punctual behavior.

  • McNeal presented the data at the District 202 Board of Education meeting on Monday night.
  • The new hall clearance procedure will go into place this week.

The players

Quiana McNeal

The principal of Evanston Township High School who delivered the quarterly update on student attendance and tardiness.

District 202 Board of Education

The governing body of Evanston's public school district that McNeal presented the attendance data to.

Leah Piekarz

A member of the District 202 Board of Education who praised McNeal's positive approach to addressing tardiness.

John Martin

A District 202 Board of Education member who expressed interest in hearing more feedback on the school's No Credit Policy regarding student absences.

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What they’re saying

“The majority of our students are consistently getting to class on time, which is encouraging. However, there is still a significant portion of students who are experiencing occasional tardiness. We know that even small patterns can accumulate over time and impact learning.”

— Quiana McNeal, Principal, Evanston Township High School

“I love the approach, especially focusing on the positivity of changing behavior and not necessarily as punishment, and ultimately, you have an academic-focused environment for students.”

— Leah Piekarz, Board Member, District 202

“The connection with the social probation can be counterproductive, because that's where we see the connection between the kids that are getting into discipline problems and not having those extracurriculars, so it's doubling down.”

— John Martin, Board Member, District 202

What’s next

McNeal said she will discuss the findings from her review of the school's No Credit Policy, including feedback from other schools, at the next District 202 Board of Education meeting.

The takeaway

Evanston Township High School is making progress in maintaining high rates of on-time attendance, but still faces challenges with occasional student tardiness. The school is implementing positive reinforcement and new procedures to encourage punctual behavior and an academic-focused environment.