For the purposes of granting course credit, absences from class due to religious observance, home instruction, in/out of school suspension and absences caused by the school (school sponsored programs and field trips, athletic field trips, assemblies, guidance and counseling appointments and music lessons) are not counted in this policy.
Students will have the opportunity to repeat the course (if it is offered) during the following year or semester. Students who exceed the allowable number of absences will be permitted to remain in the course until conclusion, provided they are not disruptive or insubordinate. Only students who remain in the course will be allowed to take the course (if it is offered) during summer school. These students can then transfer a maximum grade of 64% to summer school.
After every five absences, the classroom teacher will send a letter home alerting the parents or guardians to the situation. Parents or guardians may request an attendance conference with the Principal and teacher(s) at any time to discuss the attendance policy and plan for interventions and solutions. Students in danger of exceeding the attendance policy will also be referred to the At-Risk Team and the PBIS Team for possible interventions and solutions.
Once a student has exceeded the attendance policy, parents or guardians who believe extenuating circumstances should be taken into consideration can make a formal appeal to the Attendance Appeals Committee. The parents or guardians are responsible for initiating this appeal. The Attendance Appeals Committee’s recommendation will then be forwarded to the Principal who will make the final decision.
A student who is identified as having a handicapping condition and who has not met the attendance requirements can appeal to the Committee on Special Education and will be provided due process procedures to determine if the handicapping condition is a contributing factor to the student’s lack of attendance. Once that determination is made, the Director of Special Education and the Principal will make the final decision on granting or denying credit.
A student who misses class, for any reason, must arrange with the teacher involved to make up any missed work. It becomes the student’s responsibility to make up the work within an agreed upon time frame.
An absence from class, regardless of the reason, may lower a student’s class participation grade in a course.