One hundred and eighty-seven students attended last week’s Thursday night school. According to attendance clerk Debra Hogan, this was the largest number of students attending after-school detention this year.

Approximately 400 students were originally assigned Thursday night school. The number of students decreased significantly after students turned in notes excusing them from their absences and tardies while others chose to attend five lunch detentions instead.

According to Hogan, the number of students in Thursday night school varies week to week, but the amount is typically less than 100. Thursday night school is normally held in the lecture hall, but due to the large number of students, it was held in the main gym Feb. 21.

Some students associated the recent flu season to the quantity of Thursday night school assignments.

“A lot of people were sick so that’s why they missed school, so I think that’s why a lot of people missed school,” junior Zoe Bessa said. “It was a little bit insane to have so many people gone. Maybe they shouldn’t have made so many people have Thursday night school.”

To receive a Thursday night school, students have to receive any combination of unexcused absences or unexcused tardies totaling to four.

“The state requires students to attend 90 percent of the classroom time in order to get credit for that class, so when they do the Thursday night school that gives them some makeup hours just in case they’re a little below the 90 percent,” Hogan said.

Since Feb. 21, Hogan said she has noticed a decline in the number of students assigned to this week’s Thursday night school.

“People are getting in those notes, and that’s all we want,” Hogan said.