Attendance is key to your student's academic success!  

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular attendance is a significant student responsibility at all grade levels.  Many studies correlate regular attendance with success in school. Regular attendance means that the academic learning process is not interrupted, less time is spent on make-up assignments, and students benefit from participation and interaction with others in class.  Many important lessons are learned through active participation in classroom and other school activities that cannot be replaced by individual study. Establishing a pattern of good attendance will benefit the student in school and in the workplace. Attendance is important in the development of a high quality work ethic, which will be a significant factor in a student’s success with his or her future.

TRUANCY

Unexcused absence from school (truancy) is not acceptable.  A student will be considered habitually truant if the student is absent without a legitimate excuse:

• for thirty (30) or more consecutive hours

• for forty-two (42) or more hours in 1 month

• for seventy-two (72) or more hours in 1 school year.

If a student is habitually truant and the student's parent has failed to cause the student's attendance, a complaint will be filed with the Judge of the Juvenile Court in compliance with State law and Board Policy 5200.  Habitual truancy can also result in and/or to take any other appropriate intervention actions as set forth in this Board's policy.

In order to address the attendance practices of a student who is habitually truant, the Board authorizes the Superintendent to take any of the following intervention actions:

1.  assign the student to a truancy intervention program

2.  provide counseling to the student

3.  request or require the student's parent to attend a parental involvement program

4.  request or require a parent to attend a truancy prevention mediation program

5.  notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles of the student's absences

6.  take appropriate legal action

7.  assignment to an alternative school (Note: If the District has established an alternative school, it     must appear as an alternative intervention strategy.)

The Superintendent is authorized to establish an educational program for parents of truant students which is designed to encourage parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly. Any parent who does not complete the program is to be reported to law enforcement authorities for parental education neglect, a fourth class misdemeanor if found guilty.

The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines that:

1. establish proper procedures so the student and his/her parents are provided the opportunity to challenge the attendance record prior to notification and that such notification complies with R.C. 3321.13 (B)(2);

2. establish a school session which is in conformity with the requirements of the rules of the State Board;

3. govern the keeping of attendance records in accordance with the rules of the State Board;

4. identify the habitual truant, investigate the cause(s) of his/her behavior, and consider modification of his/her educational program to meet particular needs and interests;

5. provide students whose absence has been excused an opportunity to make up work they missed and receive credit for the work, if completed;

6. refer for evaluation any student who, due to a specifically identifiable physical or mental impairment, exceeds or may exceed the District's limit on excused absence to determine eligibility either under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or other appropriate accommodation.

Legitimate excuses for the absence of a student who is otherwise habitually truant include but are not limited to:

A.      The student was enrolled in another school district

B.      The student was excused from attendance in accordance with R. C 3321.04 or

C.      The student has received an age and schooling certificate.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

In accordance with statute, the Superintendent shall require, from the parent of each student of compulsory school age who has been absent from school or from class for any reason, a written statement of the cause for such absence. The Board of Education reserves the right to verify such statements and to investigate the cause of each single absence or prolonged absence.

Students may be excused from school for one or more of the following reasons and will be provided an opportunity to make-up missed school work and/or tests:

The Board considers the following factors to be reasonable excuses for time missed at school:

1. personal illness (a written physician's statement verifying the illness may be required)

2. illness in the family necessitating the presence of the child

3. quarantine of the home

4. death in the family

5. necessary work at home due to absence or incapacity of parent(s)/guardian(s)  

6. observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday

7. out-of-state travel (up to a maximum twenty-four (24) hours per school year that the student's school is open for instruction) to participate in a District-approved enrichment or extracurricular activity.  Any classroom assignment missed due to the absence shall be completed by the student.

8. such good cause as may be acceptable to the Superintendent

9. medically necessary leave for a pregnant student in accordance with Policy 5751

10. service as a precinct officer at a primary, special or general election in accordance with the program set forth in Policy 5725

Attendance need not always be within the school facilities, but a student will be considered to be in attendance if present at any place where school is in session by authority of the Board.

The Board shall consider each student assigned to a program of other guided learning experiences to be in regular attendance for the program provided that he/she reports to such staff members, he/she is assigned for guidance at the place in which she/he is conducting study, and regularly demonstrates progress toward the objectives of the course of study.

The Superintendent may excuse a student over fourteen (14) years of age from attendance at school for a future limited period for the purpose of performing essential work directly or exclusively for his/her parents or guardians. Such excuse should not exceed five (5) days and may at the discretion of the Superintendent be renewed for five (5) additional days. At no time, however, shall such excuse cause a student to be absent from school for a period of more than ten (10) consecutive days.

At the discretion of the Superintendent or his/her designee, a student may be excused for a longer period of time than ten (10) days if a child's parent or guardian has recently died or become totally or partially incapacitated and there is no older brother or sister living in the home who is out of school. (The Superintendent may request a certificate of a physician attesting to the physical condition of the parent or guardian.)

NOTIFICATION OF ABSENCE

If a student will be absent, the parents must notify the School at 773-6540 between 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM and provide an explanation.  If prior contact is not possible, the parents should provide a written note as soon as possible after the student’s absence.  When no excuse is proved, the absence will be unexcused and the student will be identified as truant for that school day. If the offered excuse for a student’s absence is questionable or if the number of student absences is excessive, the school staff will notify the parents of the need for improvement in the student’s attendance.

A skipped class or part of the school day will be identified as an unexcused absence and students will not be permitted to make-up missed class work.  The student will also be subject to disciplinary action.

Students with a health condition that causes repeated absences must provide the administration with an explanation of the condition from a registered physician.

HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION

The School may arrange for individual instruction at home for students who are unable to attend school because of an accident, illness, or disability.  Such instruction may be arranged upon receipt of documentation of the student’s condition from a physician. For more information, please contact the principal.

MAKE-UP OF TESTS AND OTHER SCHOOL WORK

Students who are absent from school with an excuse shall be given the opportunity to make up missed work.  The parent or student should contact the school or your child’s teacher as soon as possible to obtain assignments.  The number of days for completion of make-up work will be equivalent to the number of excused days of absence. 

If a student misses a teacher’s test due to an excused absence, arrangements will be made with the teacher to take the test at another time.  If a student misses a State mandated assessment test or standardized test, the child will be able to make up the test as long as it is within the testing window.

SUSPENSION FROM SCHOOL

Absence from school due to suspension shall be considered and authorized absence.  A suspended student will be responsible for making up school work missed due to the suspension and work will be turned in within a predetermined date after returning to school.  Make up of missed tests may be scheduled when the student returns from school.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Any student who is absent from school for all or any part of the day without a legitimate excuse shall be considered truant and the student and his/her parents shall be subject to truancy laws of the State.

(High School:  If a student under the age of 18, has 10 or more consecutive or 15 total days of unexcused absence during a semester, she/he will be considered habitually absent and will be reported to the Judge of the Juvenile Court and to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for suspension of his/her driver’s license,  if appropriate, as a result of this excessive absence).

TARDINESS

(Elementary: A student who is not in his or her classroom by 9:00 AM shall be considered tardy.  Any student arriving late to school is to report to the School office before going to class.)

(Secondary:  Each student is expected to be in his/her assigned location throughout the school day.  If a student is late arriving to school, she/he must report to the School office before going to his/her first assigned location. )

VACATIONS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR

It is recommended that parents not take their child out of school for vacations.  When a family vacation must be scheduled during the school year, the parents should discuss the matter with the Principal to make necessary arrangements.  It may be possible for the student to receive certain assignments that may be completed during the trip.