As of next term, On Campus Suspension, also known as OCS, will be removed because of budget constraints. Instead, alternate punishments will be used in place of OCS.

     “Basically we’re just going back to the way we used to be [before OCS],” said assistant principal Jason Wilson.

     OCS was eliminated because of a lack of funding from the district. According to state law, a credentialed teacher needs to run OCS and a credentialed teacher demand higher salaries, making OCS an expensive enterprise.  

     "We either violate the State Education Code or we spend tens of thousands of dollars and we're not willing to do either," said principal Brad Basham. "We really don't want to see this go. We fought hard to keep it."

     OCS Teacher Donny Nush is disappointed to see the program come to an end.

     “It’s kind of a shame how this has been eliminated because it’s a great tool for administration,” said Nush, who also coaches boys and girls tennis for RHS.

     Plans to bring OCS back on campus have not been discussed yet. 

     “Because of these really tough economic times right now, it's just not in the district's best interest,” said Basham. “It's not wise to be spending that kind of money right now.”

     Instead of OCS, normal suspensions may be issued.

     According to assistant principal Jason Wilson, many other concerns, such as high school registration, obstruct the planning of bringing OCS back, which many students and teachers feel is necessary.

     “I think it’s mandatory for our school to have it,” said junior Michael Penka. “Even though I don’t like it, I think it’s useful.”

     OCS was used as a tool to give a punishment for lower level offenses, such as classroom disruptions, numerous absences, incompletion of work and unwillingness to dress out in P.E.     

     “I spent a lot of time in OCS,” said senior Connor Ewing. “So I’m not going to miss it.”

     Because of the removal of OCS, students who commit these minor offenses may be given a larger punishment next term.

     “There are some offenses where it would become more meaningful to keep them here,” said Wilson. “The difficult piece of it is that there are some actions that deserve some pretty severe consequences."