Attendance Policies and Procedures

EXCUSES: 

A note from a parent or guardian, physician, legal office, dentist or other recognized licensed/certified medical practitioner is required for each absence. The note should include the date, the student’s full name, the parent’s full name, the date(s) of absence(s), the phone number of the parent/guardian, and the required signature. Parent notes must be for lawful reasons in order to be excused.

EARLY DISMISSALS:

Students are expected to attend each class each day of the school year, except for medical and family emergencies.  In case of an emergency, or an unusual need to leave campus before the end of the school day, an early dismissal for a student may be requested by the parent/guardian by email or parent note. Ten or more unexcused early dismissals may result in disciplinary action.

Please follow these guidelines when requesting early dismissals:

1. Early dismissal must be requested in writing by the parent/guardian.  If someone other than the parent/guardian will be signing out a student, the permission must be given by the parent/guardian prior to dismissal either by email, note, or phone.

2. Dismissal notes must include the following: Student’s name and grade, date and time of early dismissal, the reason for early dismissal, a telephone number where parent/guardian can be reached during the morning, and signature of the parent/guardian.  The Attendance Clerk may call the parent/guardian at the number given on the note to verify the request if all information is not provided or if there are problems.

3. When the parent/guardian arrives at the front office, a photo id will be required to pick up the student and the student will then be called for dismissal. At the time of early dismissal, the student will report to the attendance/front office. Students are not allowed to leave school unsupervised. 

4. A parent must pick up and sign out the student prior to 3:15 pm. Car line traffic can be heavy, so we recommend you provide plenty of time to reach our parking lot and sign out your student.

TARDIES: 

Tardy to School:  When a student reports to school late, he or she must sign in at the attendance office and bring a note of explanation from the parent/guardian or doctor. Parents do not need to come into our office as students will sign themselves in to receive a tardy pass for first block. Students without a lawful tardy will be credited with an unexcused tardy. Students accruing twenty tardies to school will participate in an Intervention Plan Conference with parents or guardians.

Tardy to Class:  Tardiness to class interrupts learning time for the entire class. All students should be seated in their desks ready for instruction when the bell rings to begin each class. Students with excused tardies will have a  pass from the office or another teacher to be given to the classroom teacher. Students without passes who are late to class will receive an unexcused tardy. Tardies are tracked by administration and the following consequences are enforced:

• 1st and 2nd tardy - verbal warning

• 3rd tardy - call home to parent

• 4th tardy - lunch detention

• 5th tardy - lunch and recess detention

• 6th - 8th tardy - after school detention each time

• 9th tardy plus  - Intervention plan with parents/guardians, administration, counseling, and escalation of consequences including In-School Suspension.

• Continued disregard for tardies can result in Level 2 Code of Conduct violations.    

Tardy consequences and violations reset every 9 weeks.

TRUANCY:                                                             

A student is considered truant in the following ways: three consecutive unexcused absences, five unexcused absences, or any absence over ten days without a medical or legal excuse.  A Student Attendance Intervention Plan will be developed by the school, the student, and the parent(s) prior to any referrals to family court.

The importance of punctual and regular attendance for every student cannot be overemphasized.  Any student who is absent more than ten days, lawfully or unlawfully, will have each absence reviewed. All absences over ten must be classified as a lawful absence (medical, legal, or death in family). A student may be retained at the current grade level if the attendance requirements are not met.