We believe that attendance is a vital part of the educational experience. Good attendance is a goal we have for all students. Your attendance will be monitored by teachers, counselors, the principal, and co-principals to determine whether absences are lawful or unlawful. Each case will be handled according to the circumstances and reasons for absences.
In cases where absences are determined to be unlawful, any class work missed may not be made up for credit. For lawful absences, class work must be made up within five (5) school days after returning to school. Exceptions to this policy include:
1. Long range projects such as book reports and term papers must be turned in on the date due though you may be absent that day.
2. Assignments and tests that have been previously announced that are given on a day a student is absent must be made up the day the student returns to school.
Five or more days of unlawful absence during a marking period will result in failure of courses for that marking period. Six (6) days of unlawful absence during a semester will result in failure of all courses with final grades computed as an "F". This policy also applies to each class individually. Eleven or more days of unlawful absences will result in failure of all courses for the year.
In cases of excessive absenteeism, action will be taken according to the student's age.
1. Students under the age of 16 will be referred to the Supervisor of Pupil Services for possible legal action as well as the Department of Juvenile Justice.
2. Students 16 years of age or older will be referred to the Supervisor of Pupil Services to determine whether they should be withdrawn from school.
A maximum of ten (10) days of absence per year (five per semester) may be excused by parent notes for illness of students. Absences for illness beyond the ten days allowed must be excused by written certification from medical personnel or they will be considered unlawful and will be counted in the five days per marking period and six days per semester policy as explained above.
You must bring a note from medical personnel, court, or related agencies, or parents on the day of return to school from absences and present the note to your first period teacher. No notes will be accepted after the date of return to school. These absences will be counted as unlawful.
Half day absences (two periods or more) for late arrival or early departure will be counted in your attendance record. A summary of each student's attendance is reported on his or her report card.
A. EARLY DEPARTURE
If you need to leave school early, for reasons other than illness or an emergency, you must bring a note from a parent to the attendance office prior to 7:57 a.m. The note should state the reason for leaving early, the time to leave, and a telephone number where a parent may be reached prior to the early departure. Notes may be confirmed by a call from an administrator. You should report to the office to sign out prior to leaving school.
Students who leave school without signing out properly will be considered unlawfully absent and will be handled as cutting.
9
When you feel ill you should report to the school nurse, who will contact a parent if the nurse determines you are too ill to remain in school. If you contact your parents without the approval of the nurse, the absence will be considered unlawful.
Early departure from school for appointments with doctors or dentists, for court appearances, the Division of Motor Vehicles, or for reasons approved in advance by an administrator will be considered lawful absences. Notes from the places mentioned must be brought in the next day of school to the appropriate staff member. Early departures for other reasons or in cases where notes are not brought to school to confirm appointments will result in the absence being unlawful and work missed may not be made up.
B. LATENESS TO SCHOOL
When the late bell rings for homeroom/first period, you are expected to be in the classroom. If you arrive after the late bell, you should still report to first period. If you arrive after 8:30 a.m., you must report directly to the attendance office.
Lateness for medical/dental appointments with notes from the attending physician, bus breakdowns or delays, court appearances, or drivers license testing will be lawful. All other lateness will be considered as unlawful! Students and/or parents with questionable situations (example: student not feeling well) will be referred to an administrator. The intent of this policy is to help students establish the good habit of punctuality.
Lateness to school is recorded cumulatively for the year and for each semester. Action will be taken according to the number of times a student reports late unlawfully. In addition to these actions, work missed for unlawful lateness may not be made up for credit and half-day absences will be counted in the unlawful lateness policy.
1. First lateness - Warning by the teacher
2. Second lateness - Detention assigned by the teacher
3. Third lateness - Referral to the office for administrative action
4. Fourth lateness - Referral to office for administrative
action - Saturday School assigned
5. Fifth and subsequent lateness - Referral to office -
Saturday School, in-school suspension, suspension, and loss of extra-curricular activities privileges as a spectator or participant. (During the second semester the loss will include the prom.)
In addition, for every three unlawful latenesses of less than half the period, one day of unlawful absence for the class(es) missed will be accumulated.
Each unlawful lateness of more than half of the period will count as one day of unlawful absence for the classes missed.
In order to participate in any extra-curricular activity, including rehearsals/practices for athletic games, band, chorus, drama performances, or to attend an evening program or banquet, you must be in school a minimum of one-half day. To get credit for a half-day, you must attend two full class periods. Any exception to this rule must be approved by the principal prior to participating in the activity.
C. LATENESS TO CLASS
Ample time is provided between classes for students to be in the classroom when the late bell sounds. If you go to class late without a note from a teacher or administrator to excuse the lateness, the lateness will be considered unlawful. Consequences of being habitually late to class
10
include having your grade affected by not being allowed to make up work missed and being disciplined by your teacher and/or an administrator.
Action taken will be according to the number of unlawful latenesses for the semester.
1. First lateness - warning from teacher
2. Second lateness - after school detention with teacher
3. Third and subsequent lateness –referred to an administrator
D. CUTTING CLASS AND SCHOOL
Cutting classes and being truant from school are considered serious violations of school policy. Teachers and administrators check attendance carefully for each class period. If you miss class illegally, cut school, or leave school grounds without permission, your grades will be affected by not being allowed to make up any work missed and the time missed from school will be made up in after school detention or Saturday school. Students who persistently cut classes will be suspended.