Attendance is a critical component for success.
Tardiness
Punctuality is one of the most important skills that a person can learn. It is a skill that directly correlates to an individual’s success in the business world or in any occupation. Parents should have students at school on time each day. Students are expected to be in their individual classes on time (prior to 8:15 AM). Late arrival (tardiness) results in interruptions to the learning process for the tardy student and the other students in the class. Additionally, the tardy student misses important instruction.
If students arrive on campus after 8:10 AM, parents need to park and sign their student in. Students will need a pass from the office in order to be admitted to class after the 8:15 bell.
Accumulation of tardies to school (1st period) will result in after school detention (3:10 PM - 4:10 PM) and eventually a truancy meeting. (For Carnegie Unit classes, four tardies will equal an absence that affects seat time.)
Students who arrive at school after 8:41 AM are legally absent and should produce a school excuse when arriving.
If a student is late to any class throughout the day, they must have a tardy pass from their previous class or the faculty member they were with. Accumulation of tardies to periods 2 - 7 results in disciplinary consequences.
Provide An Excuse for Each Absence
All excuses for absences must be documented in writing. It is the responsibility of the student to bring in a note confirming the reason for the absence. All excuses must be turned in to the attendance clerk within two school days of the absence (this includes doctor’s excuses, court documentation, and college visit excuses). Absences will not be excused via telephone or email. Parents/guardians will receive attendance calls if their child is marked absent throughout the school day. These are automated calls and cannot be canceled.
Per state regulations all written excuses must include the student’s name, the parent’s/guardian’s full name, dates of absences, and the reason for the absence. The note must be signed by the parent/guardian. Absences in excess of 10 days will not be considered excused, even with a written note from a parent/guardian; a legal notification (i.e. doctor’s note or court documentation) would be required instead. Excuses that do not meet these requirements will not be accepted.
Even with a medical or court documented reason for absence, students must meet a minimum number of hours in each class. Students who approach or fall below the minimum number of hours will be required to recover the missed seat time in order to get credit for the course.
Learn about our seat time recovery option here.
Understanding Truancy Terms
Truant
A child, at least 6 but not yet 17 years old, who has accumulated three consecutive unlawful absences or a total of five unlawful absences.
Chronic Absenteeism
Missing at least 10% (approximately 18 days) of school days in the school year, or a month or more of school, excused or unexcused. Chronic absenteeism puts students at heightened risk of falling behind and dropping out of school.
Habitual Truant
A child, at least 12 but not yet 17 years old, who (1) fails to comply with the intervention plan developed by the school, the child, and the parents or guardians, and (2) accumulates two or more additional unlawful absences.
Chronic Truant
A child, at least 12 but not yet 17 years old, who (1) has been through the school intervention process; (2) has reached the level of a habitual truant and has been referred to family court and placed under an order to attend; and (3) continues to accumulate unlawful absences.
Learn about our intervention measures and procedures here.
