District Attendance Procedure
September, 2015
Regular attendance is essential to the successful academic experience your child will have throughout the school year. Students are expected to be present everyday the school is in session, except for circumstances that cannot be anticipated. As we begin another school year, it is a good time to outline key aspects of the district’s attendance policy.
Parents are required to report absences and tardiness of students prior to the start of the school day. The nurse’s office attendance voice mail is available 24 hours a day.
Please include in your voice message the details of your child’s absence (i.e. cough, fever, doctor or dental appointment, etc.).
The only absences that are excused are Religious Holidays (see list) and Take Your Child To Work Day. All illness/injury absences will be considered unexcused absences NOT Counting Towards Truancy.
Leaving a message that states they will be out with no reason given, even if ill, are considered unexcused absence counting towards truancy.
Absences that are not reported by parents are considered unverified and unexcused counting towards truancy. If you know your child will be absent from school in advance, please send in a written note to the nurse.
A student will be considered to have attended school if he/she has been present at least four hours during the school day.
Upon return from an absence of any length, the student must present, to the school, a written statement dated and signed by a parent or legal guardian, stating the reasons for the absence. A note explaining a student’s absence for non-communicable illness for a period of more than three school days must be accompanied by a doctor’s note. A student who has been absent by reason of having or being suspected of having a communicable disease must present a doctor’s note as evidence of being free of communicable disease.
Lastly, as you are aware, the district has a legal obligation to respond to accumulated unexcused absences counting towards truancy. Action planning for absences begins after the 5th day of an unexcused absence counting towards truancy. It is imperative that you help us to accurately record your child’s absence by sending in an absence note for each absence.
If you should have any questions regarding your child’s attendance in school, please contact Dr. Albert Devine.
Sincerely,
Sonia Saul, RN
School Nurse