Student & Parent Resources » Attendance Policies

Attendance Policies

Attendance

Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-led instruction and school activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous days, and to grow as an individual.
 

Attendance letters and notifications will be sent to parents via electronic mail through the district’s Skyward Family Access portal. Parents must enable the appropriate notifications in Skyward Family Access to ensure receipt of this information.

The district must investigate and report violations of the Compulsory Attendance Law.  When students age 12–18 incur ten or more unexcused absences within a six-month period in the same school year, the district, in most circumstances, will refer the student to truancy court.
 
A court of law may impose penalties against the parent if a school-aged student is deliberately not attending school. The district may file a complaint against the parent if the student incurs ten or more unexcused absences within a six-month period in the same school year.
 
See the Student Handbook for additional information.
To receive course credit or a final grade for a class, a student must attend class 90 percent of the days class is offered.  See the Student Handbook for additional information. 
State law and the district allow certain activities or events to be exempt or excused.

The district is not required to excuse any absence for an activity or event that does not meet the allowable absence types, even if the parent/guardian provides a signed note explaining the absence. (see Unexcused Absences below). See the Student Handbook for qualifying exempt and excused absences.  

Acceptable documentation must be provided to the campus within two (2) days after the student returns.  Parent/Guardian notes must include the following:
    • Student Full Legal Name, Grade, Student ID (if known)
    • Date(s) for absence(s)
    • Reason for absence
    • Signature by the parent 
 
Absences excused by a signed parent note should not exceed eight (8) days a school year. If a student needs to be absent more than eight (8) days during a school year, he/she must present a medical excuse, signed by the doctor, or be sent home by the school nurse. See the Student Handbook for additional information. 

Failure to present acceptable documentation of an absence will result in the absence being counted as unexcused.

If a student arrives late or needs to leave early for a medical appointment, they must sign in/out at the front office. If possible, the parent may send a note in the morning with the student, stating that they need to leave at a specified time later that day for a medical appointment. When returning to school, please turn in the medical excuse provided by the doctor's office.

Absences not listed in the Student Handbook as Exempt or Excused with be considered unacceptable reasons for an absence and will be documented as unexcused.   These absences will impact the student’s ability to receive credit for the grade/course, receive final exam exemptions, and will be subject to compulsory attendance requirements (Truancy).  Examples of unexcused absences include:

    • Vacations/pleasure trips
    • Missing the bus
    • Car problems
    • Oversleeping
    • Babysitting
    • Birthday or other personal celebrations
    • Work/Job related
    • Youth programs (non-district related)
    • Rare circumstances (without principal pre-approval)
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