Attendance Policies

Student Attendance Procedures

Attendance is the foundation for learning and achievement. If children do not show up for school regularly, they miss out on fundamental reading and math skills and the chance to build a habit of good attendance that will carry them into post-secondary opportunities. Excused and unexcused absences count toward a student’s total absence minutes.

Parents should make every attempt to notify the school in a timely manner when their child will be gone from school.

Teachers will take attendance within the first 20 minutes of class. High School and Middle School teachers will update attendance at the end of each class.

Excused Absences

Excused absences are defined as:

•  Medical appointment (notes are encouraged)
•  Medical injury
•  Illness excused by parent/guardian
•  Illness excused by health care provider
•  Other than medical/illness. Examples: a religious holiday; court; death or illness in immediate family; other as approved by school administrator, such as college visits, weather related incidents
•  In-school and Out-of-school suspensions

Unexcused Absences

Unexcused absences are defined as all other absences. Examples include skipping school, babysitting, family vacations, gone without contact.

When a student reaches 10 days absent (excused and unexcused) during a school year, for any reason, a school may request, in writing, that a parent provide medical excusal documentation for further absences. Medical excusals may be provided by the school nurse or doctor’s office. If the student continues to be absent without medical excusal, the absences will be considered unexcused. Schools must provide this request in writing using the 10 day letter.

Late to school/Early leave/Tardy to class

Elementary/Middle School –

•  Students who arrive to school up to 60 minutes after the first bell will be considered late to school.
•  Students who arrive more than 61 minutes after the first bell will be considered absent, the number of minutes will accumulate to an overall total minutes absent.
•  Students who leave school before the last bell of the day will be considered absent for the time missed, the number of minutes will accumulate to an overall total minutes absent.

High Schools-

•  Students who arrive to class before the end of the period will be considered tardy.
•  Students who have missed an entire class period will be considered absent for the entire period.
•  Students who leave school before the last bell of the day will be considered absent for the time missed, the number of minutes will accumulate to an overall total minutes absent.

In middle and high school, when a student is tardy to class, teachers will mark them tardy and in the comments section, enter the appropriate tardy code T1, T2 or T3.

 T1 = student arrives in the first 10 minutes of class

 T2 = student arrives 11-30 minutes late to class

 T3 = student arrives 31 minutes or more late to class

Schools will determine their response to tardies. Examples include loss of privileges, attendance contracts, detention, etc.

Excessive and Consecutive Absences

Excessive absences are defined as five or more absences (excused and/or unexcused) in a semester. Building-based teams will review student attendance data on all students who have excessive absences and provide appropriate intervention as needed.

Consecutive absences are defined as full days in a row and are unexcused.

Schools will determine their response to absences. Examples include loss of privileges, attendance contracts, detention, etc.

Parents/Guardians will be formally notified of absences (including excused and unexcused) within each semester in the following manner:

Downloadable Version: HERE

Spanish Version: HERE