| ATTENDANCE PROCEDURE REMINDER
If your child is | |
|---|---|
| ABSENT: Telephone the homeroom teacher on the morning of the absence and explain reason for absence. | |
| TARDY: Send a note in with your child explaining tardy. | |
| DISMISSED EARLY: Send a note to school with early dismissal time and explanation. | |
| Please remember that absences, tardies and dismissals are only excused if they are health related or due to religious beliefs or legal matters. | |
State Laws Concerning Attendance
State law requires that all students be in school for 180 days and that each student receive 900 hours of directed study every year.(180 days x 5 hours per day). By state law, absences other than for health related issues and religious beliefs may not exceed 7 full days (or 14 half days) within six months. Chronic absences (as stated above) or chronic lateness to school classes will be documented and parents will be contacted. If tardiness and absences continue, the school will take further steps to correct the absences and tardiness, including, but not limited to, letters home, counseling, contacting the Department of Children's Services, or filing a CHINS.
Absence Procedures
1. In accordance with state law, parents of students who are absent should phone, fax, or e-mail the homeroom/classroom teacher on the morning of the absence (please use the phone list in this book). You may leave a voice mail, which is available on each teacher's phone.
2. Absences are excused only for sickness, legal matters, medical or religion. Chronic medical conditions or legal absences need documentation.
3. A student who misses school due to illness, an unexcused absence, or suspension may not participate in after school activities.
Extended Absences
Occasionally, a student may have a medical condition that requires an extended absence. Please contact the guidance office as soon as possible in this case so that we can determine how best to help your child academically during this time. Hospital Homebound Service may be appropriate and the counselor can help set this up. A student who is absent for more than ten days for reasons other than medical will be automatically withdrawn from school enrollment until the student re-enters.
Tardy Procedures
1. Students who arrive at school after 8:15 a.m. are late to school. The student or the parent and the student will stop in the Main Office to receive a late slip before going to class. Tardiness is excused only for sickness, legal matters, medical appointments, or special services on religious holidays. However, chronic tardiness for these or other matters may require documentation and may be followed up with further inquiries similar to daily absences.
2. Excessive unexcused tardiness during a nine week marking period (more than once per week) will result in a phone conference with a guidance counselor and parent. If tardies persist after the parent conference with the guidance counselor, the child may receive an after-school detention on the days he/she is late. The detention consequence will be at the discretion of the assistant principal. Furthermore, persistent tardies can result in other consequences at the discretion of the principal or his designee.
3. The office will notify the parents if tardiness or absences are above normal. If the problem continues, a CHINS petition from the Juvenile Court Services requesting help in getting the student to school could be filed or calling the Department of Children and Families to request help in upholding the state law.
Early Dismissal Procedures
1. Early dismissals are considered school absences because of guidelines for 900 learning hours for each child. Dismissals are excused for the same reasons as absences and tardies.
2. A student who needs to be dismissed early should come to school with a dated note explaining the reason and giving the time to be dismissed. The student will present this note to the teacher in the morning before class begins.
3. The parent will come to the main office, sign the early dismissal sheet, and wait for their child here.
4. Students can only be dismissed through the main office to parents or legal guardians or in an emergency situation to others listed on the emergency card.
5. A student who is dismissed early because of illness will not be allowed to participate in any after school activities on that day.
Vacation Dismissal Procedures
A reminder that any student who is absent for 7 full days or more during a six month period, unless for health or religious reasons, will be documented chronically absent. Extended or additional vacation days for students are considered unexcused absences. The school will not provide lessons for a child who is absent from school for vacations or family trips. The student may, however, be allowed to make up work after school on his/her return.