Though the tradition appears to have deteriorated following the recent pandemic, the renowned ‘senior skip day’ is not a new concept to students at Dulaney High School (DHS).

Math teacher Henry McVeigh graduated from DHS with the class of 2010. Though he recalls the concept of senior skip day from his high school years, he notes his lack of participation.

“I had good attendance, and I think most of my friends did too,” said McVeigh.

Though she graduated from DHS only a year after McVeigh, English teacher Cassandra Hatter remembers her senior skip day quite differently.

“IHOP used to have this deal for like a month in March or April where it was like $10 unlimited tiny pancakes …we went to IHOP and sat there for like 3 three hours eating pancakes,” said Hatter.

2006 DHS graduate and current history teacher Daniel LaHatte lacks any recollection of this tradition from his time at Dulaney.

“It didn’t match up with anything,” said LaHatte. “The SAT taken during the school day is a recent thing.”

Though different schools organize senior skip days on dates corresponding to prom, graduation or otherwise, Dulaney’s seniors have a history of skipping school on the School Day SAT for juniors, which was introduced to certain states by College Board in 2017, according to Caddell Prep. 

LaHatte also recognizes that recent leniency in attendance policies may facilitate seniors’ ability to get away with cutting class unscathed.

“When I was a student here, as well as before and a little bit after, there was some real accountability measures in place…if you were not in class,” said LaHatte.

Though it seems that the class of 2024’s participation in senior skip day was limited, LaHatte and Hatter agree that general attendance has taken a downward turn in recent years, so it is difficult to tell which seniors were absent specifically due to this annual tradition.

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