• Attendance Policies

     

    General Attendance Policy

    Absences

    Tardiness

    Written Excuses

    Excused Early

    Truancy

     
     
     
     
         Once you have arrived on school property, you are not to leave under any circumstances without permission from either your parent/guardian or an administrator.  According to the law, schools operate under the concept of in loco parentis which means we are legally responsible for the students and their safe whereabouts for the duration of the school day.
         An unexcused absence may be considered truancy.  If you are excused to doctor/dentist appointments, pre-approved college visits, required court appearances, military obligations, religious observances, approved cooperative work experiences, or other approved appointments you must provide written proof of attendance from a parent or an authorized individual and present that to your Homeroom teacher upon your return.
     
     
     
     
         When you are absent from school, you must bring a written excuse to your homeroom teacher within 48 hours of your return to school.  The excuse must contain:
     
         1.  your name
         2.  date(s) of absence(s)
         3.  reason(s) for absence(s)
         4.  doctor/agency’s name and telephone number (if appropriate)
         5.  parent/guardian signature and home or work telephone number for
              verification
     
         Be aware that not all written excuses make an absence legal.  Excuses such as babysitting, needed at home, job interview, hunting, family vacation, appointment, errand for parent, errand for you, car repairs, car trouble, and other such excuses are not legal.
     
     
     
         When you are tardy to school, you must bring a written excuse to the Attendance Office upon your return to school.  The excuse must contain # 1-5 above, with #2 and #3 being date and reason for tardiness.
         When you come late to school without a written excuse, you will be marked illegally late to school.  You must bring a written excuse to the Attendance Office the day after the lateness.  Legal and illegal reasons for lateness are similar to legal and illegal reasons for absence.
     
     
         If you fail to bring a written excuse for your absence or tardy from your parent/guardian upon return to school, a parent/guardian will be contacted by the Attendance Office.  Failure to produce a written excuse within 48 hours will result in disciplinary action.
     
     
         After arriving at school, you may not leave the building prior to school dismissal, for any reason, unless you have singed out at the Attendance Office.  When you need to be excused for a legal reason (similar to absences and lates), you must bring a note to the Attendance Center, signed by your parent/
    guardian, which explains the reason for the excuse.  The excuse must contain the following:
     
         1.  date
         2.  your first and last name
         3.  grade
         4.  time to be excused
         5.  destination and reason for going
         6.  means of travel from school
         7.  a phone number by which the above information can be
              confirmed (parent, doctor, dentist)
         8.  signature of parent/guardian
     
         You must sign out at the Attendance Office at the time indicated on your excuse.  The high school administration reserves the right to investigate the validity of excuses, which can include written verification from the doctor, clinic, Motor Vehicle Bureau, probation officer, etc., and to disallow excuses for illegal reasons. 
     
     
     
     
         Truancy is deliberate absence from school, classes or study halls for unlawful reasons without your parent/guardian’s knowledge or your refusal to attend school when told to do so by your parent/guardian.  If you are found truant, you will not be allowed to make up class work, quizzes, or tests given by your teacher during your truancy.  Disciplinary action will occur.
     
     
     
         Students are expected to attend all their classes each day.  After arrival at school, any absences from scheduled homeroom, classes and study halls, without parental or school permission, are classified as cuts and constitute truancy.  Education law mandates that students must attend scheduled homeroom, classes and study halls at Kenmore East High School for the entire time the public school is in session.  Failure to comply with this regulation is a violation and will result in disciplinary action.
     
     

    The process of education requires continuity of instruction, student interaction, classroom participation, and well planned activity.  Regular attendance is expected in all classes, and is considered essential for student success in school.

     

    The District further believes that classroom participation is related to and affects a student’s performance and grasp of the subject matter, and, as such, is properly reflected in a student’s final grade.

     

    Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes.  Consistent with the importance of classroom participation, any absence from class which work is not made up shall result in the loss of a certain number of points from the student’s grade for the marking period determined by the building administrator and/or classroom teacher.

     

    Any student with more than 28 absences in a full year or 40-week course (15% of class sessions), for any reason (including legal and illegal absences), may not receive credit for the course.  However, where the student receives a passing grade, credit will not be denied for the course(s).

     

    Students will be considered in attendance if the student is:

    1. Physically present in the classroom or working under the direction of the classroom teacher during the class scheduled meeting time; or
    2. Working pursuant to approved independent study program; or
    3. Receiving approved alternative instruction.

     

    If a student identified as having a disability by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) does not meet the attendance requirements, he/she will be referred to the CSE before any other action is taken.

     

    Students who are absent from class due to their participation in a school sponsored activity are to arrange with their teachers to make up any work missed in a timely manner as determined by the student’s teacher.

     

    Any student who misses a class is expected immediately upon his or her return to identify the material covered.  Except for those intentional absences whereby the student sought to gain an unfair academic advantage (e.g., the student is absent to allow for more time to study for an exam), make up opportunities will be provided for all students absent from class.  The student will have the opportunity to make up the classes and work missed in accordance with procedures established by the classroom teacher.

     

    Student Notice

    1. The District will provide each student with a copy of the attendance regulation.  Each student will be asked to sign and return a statement indicating that he/she has read and understands the regulation.
    2. The regulation also will be included in each school’s handbook on student conduct and discipline.
    3. An orientation session will be held for students at the beginning of each school year to inform students as to the District’s regulation regarding class attendance and credit for course work.
    4. If a student cuts class or is absent without excuse, a designated staff person will review the attendance regulation with the student.

    Parent/Guardian Notice

     
    1)           The District will provide each student's parent(s) or guardian(s) with a copy of the attendance regulation distributed to students.  Each student's parent(s) or guardian(s) will be asked to sign and return a statement indicating that he/she has read the regulation and understands it.

     

    2)           Parents/Guardians should call 874-8402 and ask for the Attendance Office with questions about the regulation.

     

    3)           Where a student cuts class or is absent without excuse, designated staff members (teachers/counselors/Assistant Principal) will notify the student's parent(s) or guardian(s) and review the attendance regulation.

     

    4)           School newsletters and publications will include periodic reminders of the components of the attendance regulation.

     

    5)           Full Year Course = 40 Weeks:  A student may not be absent from a 40-week course more than 28 days. (15%)

     

    The attendance office will notify parents/guardians in writing when a student is absent from any class after 15 absences.  After a student has been absent 20 times, parents/guardians are contacted in writing and a parent/guardian conference may be required.  At 29 absences course credit may be denied and parents/guardians will be notified accordingly.

     

    6)           Semester Course = 20 Weeks:  A student may not be absent from a 20-week course more than 14 days. (15%)

     

    The attendance office will notify parents/guardians in writing when a student is absent from any class after 5 absences. After a student has been absent 10 times, parents/guardians are contacted in writing and a parent/guardian conference may be required.  At 15 absences course credit may be denied and parents/guardians will be notified accordingly.

     

    7)    Physical Education = 20 Week Semester:  A student may not be absent from physical education            

           more than 7 times.

     

    The attendance office will notify parents/guardians in writing when a student is absent from class after 3 absences.  After a student has been absent 5 times, parents/guardians are contacted in writing and a parent/guardian conference may be required.  At 8 absences course credit may be denied and parents/guardians will be notified accordingly.

     

     

    General Procedures/Data Collection

     
    1)           Attendance will be taken during each class period.

     

    2)           At the conclusion of each class period or school day, all attendance information shall be compiled and provided to the appropriate individual(s) responsible for attendance.

     

    3)           The nature of an absence (full day, class cut) shall be coded on a student's record.

     

    4)           Student absence/class cut data shall be available on the following school day and should be reviewed by teachers, counselors, attendance officers or other appropriate school personnel.

     

     

    5)           Attendance data will be analyzed periodically to identify patterns or trends in student absences.

     

    6)           A student of compulsory school attendance age who is suspended from classroom instruction (whether in-school or out-of-school suspension) will not be marked absent unless the District provides alternative instruction and the student fails to attend such instruction.  (If the District elects to provide alternative instruction to a student over the compulsory attendance age, only students who fail to attend can be marked absent.)

     

    7)           If a student identified as having a disability by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) does not meet the attendance requirements, he/she would be referred to the CSE before any other action is taken.

     

    Review Process

     

             Where a student has exceeded the number of permissible absences for a specific class, the student may request an attendance review with the principal.  At this review, the absences will be discussed.  This appeal process is available only to:

     

    1)           Allow students to challenge the number of absences on record;

     

    2)          Ensure that no violation of Federal Law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) or the First Amendment to the United States Constitution has occurred; and

     

    3)           To give students a "last chance" under the regulation by waiving the maximum allowance absent limit for extenuating circumstances -- without regard to whether the prior absences are excused or unexcused.

     

    4)           The decision of the principal may be appealed to the Superintendent.

     

    5)           It will be the student's responsibility to see that all data is provided and that the attendance record is attached at all stages.  Any supporting data is to be obtained by the student and presented with the appeal.  The student is to contact the principal (stage #1) or the Superintendent (stage #2) to make an appointment within a five (5) day period or the appeal may be considered denied.

     

    Attendance/Grade Computation

     
    1)           In implementing this regulation, students who are unable to attend a class on a given day/period due to their participation in a school sponsored activity (e.g., music lessons, field trips, etc.), who arrange with their teachers to make up any work missed, shall, upon the completion of any make up work assigned, be given credit for classroom participation for the day/class period missed.  This also applies to any student who is absent from school due to illness* who either receives home instruction from the District or makes arrangements with the teacher to make up the work missed.

     

    *A student's parent(s) or guardian(s) should make arrangements with the main office for home instruction once they anticipate that the student's illness will cause him/her to be out of school for more than 10 days.  For absences of less then 10 days, we urge a student's parent(s) or guardian(s) to contact the main office to allow the student to make up the work to enable him/her to earn a grade for work completed and classroom participation.

     

     

    2)           Teachers may fashion opportunities for students to make up missed work to fit the circumstances.  For example, a student who is ill can be given the work at home.  Students who miss a day due to a funeral, a court appearance or a college interview, for example, could be required to make up the work missed in an extended learning period or a study hall.  For students who miss class because of a field trip or other school sponsored activity, a teacher should assess whether the school sponsored activity, itself, could serve as a substitute for the classroom instruction otherwise missed on that day.  If not, some other more suitable make up opportunity will be extended.

     

     

    3)           Except for those intentional absences whereby the student sought to gain an unfair academic advantage (e.g., the student is absent to allow for more time to study for an exam), all students will be given the opportunity to make up a test and/or turn in a late assignment for inclusion in the calculation of the performance portion of their final grade.  Make up opportunities must be completed by a date specified by the student's teacher for the class in question.

     

     

     

     

     

     


     

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