Attendance Policy
Regular school attendance is vitally important to a student’s academic achievement. A student has a “pattern of non-attendance” if he or she is absent from school a total of 30 hours (5 days) in any one marking period or 60 hours (10 days) within 90 days. Unless acceptable documentation is available, both unexcused and excused absences, along with tardiness and early sign-outs, will be counted when determining a student’s pattern of non-attendance.
Acceptable reasons for an absence include:
• Student illness
• Illness of an immediate family member
• Death in the family
• Religious holidays of the student’s faith
• Required court appearance or subpoena by a law enforcement agency
• Special events (conferences, state/national competitions, exceptional cases of family need)
• Medical or dental appointments
• Having a communicable disease or infestation
A “pattern of nonattendance” may have serious consequences. The student’s report card may be withheld, or he or she may be required to repeat a class. The child’s parent may be required to appear in court. If parents receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families from the state, TANF payments may be suspended.
Parents with questions about the attendance policy should contact their home school or the School Social Work and Attendance Department, 754-321-2490.
