Attendance Policy

1. School Attendance - Students are to be counted in attendance only if they are actually present for at least two (2) hours of the day or engaged in a school-approved educational activity which constitutes a part of the instructional program for the student.
2. Class Attendance - Students are to be counted in attendance if they are physically present in class for at least half of the class period, have been excused by the teacher on a class-related assignment, or have been requested by a member of the school support staff for an approved
   school activity.
3. Tardiness - A student is considered tardy if they are not present at the moment the school bell rings for the class assigned. NOTE: If a student is not present when attendance is taken but is present later in the school day, that student must be considered in attendance, but tardy, and the absence should be changed. A student who is tardy should never remain on record as being
   absent.
4. Early Sign-outs –No student shall be released within the final thirty (30) minutes of the school day unless authorized by the principal or principal’s designee (i.e., emergency, sickness).

1. Personal illness of the student (medical evidence may be required by the Principal for absences exceeding five (5) consecutive days). The written statement must include all days the student has been absent from school. If a student is continually sick and repeatedly absent from school due to a specific medical condition, s/he must be under the supervision of a health care provider in order to receive excused absences from school.
2. Court appearance of the student, subpoena by law enforcement agency, or mandatory court appearance.
3. Absence due to a medical appointment requires a written statement from a health care provider indicating the date and time of the appointment and submitted to the Principal.
4. An approved school activity (absences recorded but not reported).
5. Other absences with prior approval of the Principal.
6. Attendance at a center under Department of Children and Families supervision.
7. Significant community events with prior permission of the Principal. When more than one (1) school is involved, the Region Superintendent will determine the status of the absence.
8. Observance of a religious holiday or service when it is mandated for all members of a faith that such a holiday or service should be observed. Death in the immediate family.
9. School-sponsored event or educational enrichment activity that is not a school-sponsored event, as determined and approved by the Principal. The student must receive advance written permission from the Principal. Examples of special events include: public functions, conferences, and regional, State, and national competitions.
10. Outdoor suspension.
11. Other individual student absences beyond the control of the parent or student, as determined and approved by the Principal, requires documentation related to the condition.
    Every absence must be followed by a note from home.

Unexcused absences include absences due to:

1. Vacations, personal services, local non-school event, program or sporting activity.
2. Older students providing day care services for siblings.
3. Illness of others.
4. Non-compliance with immunization requirements (unless lawfully exempted).
5. Absences not included in excused absences listed above shall be unexcused. Any student who
   has been absent from school will be marked unexcused absent until s/he submits the required documentation. Failure to provide required documentation within three (3) school days upon the
   return to school will result in an unexcused absence. Unexcused absences do not require that the
   teacher provide make-up work for the student.
6. A student accumulating ten (10) or more class unexcused absences in an annual course or five
   (5) or more class unexcused absences in a designated semester course may have quarterly, semester and final grade(s) withheld pending an administrative screening and completion of assigned interventions by the Attendance Review Committee.
7. Unexcused absences shall not be grounds for suspension from school but may result in detention
   or placement in existing alternative programs.