Attendance/Absence Policy
A strong attendance record is essential to develop characteristics necessary for the educational growth of the student. Throughout each day in school, teachers and students work to build a strong work ethic and foster work habits that will help each student strive for achievement. Since excessive tardiness/absences is not conducive to good working habits and learning, parents should do everything to ensure that their children arrive to school on time. The Board of Education has adopted a policy regarding student attendance. The policy states that all absences must be accounted for. It is the parent’s responsibility to notify the attendance office on the morning of the absence or tardiness, or at least within 24 hours of the occurrence. A written excuse should also be provided upon the student’s return to school. When a student is tardy, they must report to the security desk, sign in, and receive a pass for their class.
Excused absences are defined as any of the following:
- Personal illness
- Death in the family during immediate grieving
- Government imposed quarantine
- Attendance at health clinics for health reasons
- Approved college visits, approved cooperative work programs
- Military obligations. Moreover, absences related to a student visiting/or spending time with his or her parent related to leave or deployment activities shall be excused by the District (the District will permit no more than 5 excused absences per year for this purpose).
- Other reasons as may be approved by the Superintendent or designee
Exempt absences are defined as the following:
- Practicing religious observance
- Required court appearances
All other absences (e.g. class cuts, undocumented absences and tardiness, unapproved early leaves) are considered unexcused absences. Attendance data will be analyzed each quarter to identify patterns or trends in student absences that require necessary investigation and appropriate action.
Attendance Incentives:
A yearly attendance award will be given to those students who maintain perfect attendance. This is done in an effort to acknowledge a student’s efforts to maintain perfect attendance.
Disciplinary Consequences:
In accordance with the district’s Code of Conduct, the following range of disciplinary sanctions may be imposed to discourage unexcused pupil absences, tardiness, and class cut.
- Oral warning
- Written warning
- Detention
- Suspension from athletic participation
- Suspension from social or extracurricular activities
- Suspension from other privileges
- In-school suspension
Signing in Late
Students who arrive at school after the bell for first period (7:40) has sounded must sign into school at the security desk. Failure to sign in is a violation of the discipline policy. Students who sign in late may be subject to disciplinary penalties. For example, the consequence for three unexcused lateness to school is a lunch detention. Students must sign in by 9:10 in order to participate in sports and extra curricular activities.
Students in Courses for High School Credit:
Students must maintain 85% attendance for each class to be eligible for credit. Twenty-seven excused and unexcused absences within a full year of a one-credit course will result in no credit given. Three instances of tardiness of less than twenty minutes shall be deemed to equal one absence. Students are considered absent if they are not in attendance for more than twenty minutes of the class period.