Knowledgebase article 21

Attendance Procedures

Official attendance records will be kept in the student reception office with the Attendance Manager. In order to return to a class after an absence, students must report with a valid excuse note to the attendance office before 8:00 am on the day they return to school. Failure to follow this procedure will result in make-up time.

Attendance

Attendance is one of the strongest predictors of a student’s academic success in school. Students should be at school each day it is in session. We understand that family emergencies, illness, and court dates may interfere with attendance and thus have created the following attendance policy.

DOCUMENTED ABSENCES (parent notes)

• Every student is allowed 5 documented (parent note) absences each semester.

• These absences will allow for parent notes to be submitted to the Attendance Manager, and will not require make-up time.

• Students are required to report to the Attendance Manager upon their return to school.

• Students must request the work from the teacher and complete it in a timely manner to receive credit for the work. Individual teachers will determine when work is due. Work turned in after five days will not be accepted unless written permission is granted by that teacher.

**Senior Skip Day is NOT a school sanctioned day, nor is it excused. Therefore, any student who skips on this day will receive an unexcused absence and will be expected to make up time according to the policy.

LAWFUL ABSENCES

Students who have lawful absences must present documentation within three (3) days of returning to school when obtaining an admit slip. Documentation may include any of the following:

• A note signed by a medical professional stating the student needed to miss school. Forged medical notes are subject to legal penalty.

• A note from the court stating the student was under subpoena or incarcerated.

• Verification of an unusual event, such as a death in the immediate family

• Prior approval by the principal for an educational trip. Educational trips must be excused in advance and will require work in addition to what is assigned by teachers.

• Students must request the work from the teacher and complete it in a timely manner to receive credit for the work. Individual teachers will determine when work is due. Work turned in after five days will not be accepted unless written permission is granted by that teacher.

UNLAWFUL ABSENCES

• An unlawful absence is any absence beyond the 5 documented absences and where no lawful documentation is provided.

• Unlawful absences will result in make-up time on an hour for hour basis.

• Missing 1 full day will equal 6 make-up time hours.

• A student that is unlawfully absent from a class or for a school day must request makeup work from the teacher and complete it in a timely fashion. Students will have 2 days to makeup work per unexcused absence. In addition, the student must make up the time as directed by the Attendance Manager and/or administration.

• Students will have a right to appeal hardship cases during 2nd and 4th quarters. (Please see appeal process below.)

Absence Procedure

• Absences are recorded after the first third of the class period.

• All absences must report to the Attendance Manager. Students will not decide if absence is excused or unexcused.

• Absence notes from the office must be shown to teachers. They are not to be given to the teacher.

Make-up Time

• Failure to complete make-up time will result in a 1 point deduction for each hour not made up; this will be taken from the final average in each class.

• Unexcused absences will result in make-up time.

• Hour for hour make-up, no exceptions, all make-up hours will be required

• One full day absence equals six make-up hours.

• Students will be informed of the make-up time they owe every three weeks.

• At the end of each quarter, semester grade reductions in every subject will be reflected for hours not made up.

• No grade will be dropped below a 60 unless approved by the an administrator.

• An academic grade lower than 60 will take precedence over a grade reduced for absence.

• Only 30 hours may be made up per quarter.

• The principal will complete a referral for student placement in the alternative program to the alternative placement committee at 30 hours of accumulated makeup time.

• The principal will strongly recommend to the alternative placement committee to place the student in the program at 50 hours of accumulated makeup time in one semester.

• The principal will involuntarily place a student in the alternative learning program at 60 hours of accumulated make-up time within one semester.

• The process above will repeat for the second and fourth quarter.

• At the end of the first and third nine weeks, remaining make-up hours will roll over to the next quarter.

• Make-up time will restart at the beginning of each semester.

• Students are responsible for arranging when they complete makeup time.

• Make-up time may be served through the after school tutoring program (5 days week); possible Saturday School (TBA); and possible community service at the high school. Community service will be arranged through an agreement with the student and administration.

Attendance Appeals

• Appeals are a request to lessen or remove penalties due to unexcused absences.

• They will be decided by an administrator.

• Students may apply (or appeal) for a change in the penalties the week before the end of each quarter.

• Students must be prepared to support why a change in the penalties should be allowed.

• Students with more than 30 hours will automatically be assigned appeal times.

• All other students must sign-up with the Attendance Manager for an appeal request.

• Times will be assigned and failure to show will result in maximum grade of 60 (D-) in all courses for the quarter.

• Attendance appeals will be held the 2 weeks before the end of the semester.

• Test review sessions will be allowed to count as make-up time only if assigned by an administrator.