ATTENDANCE POLICY
We believe that regular attendance in classes is essential to the success of a student’s school experience. Perfect Attendance Awards are given to students who do not have any absences or tardiness. All students (K – 12) are expected to be in class daily, and be on time. High School students cannot miss more than 5 days each Quarter for credit purposes. Excessive absences at any grade level can cause a student to not receive course credit.

Morning Arrival
Students should arrive on campus between 7:30 a.m. and 7:55 a.m. to access their lockers in preparation for the school day. K - 5 students are to line up according to grade level on the blacktop by 7:55 a.m. and wait for their classroom teacher to escort them to class. Middle school and high school students are to begin entering their first class at 7:55 a.m. and will be marked tardy after 8:00 a.m. The cafeteria is open to students until 7:50 a.m., and again at lunchtime only. There will be NO use of the cafeteria after school or during break time. Students and Parents are not permitted to enter any classroom without permission from a teacher or if a teacher is not present in the classroom.

Tardy Arrival
Students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. must report to the main office for a pass to class. A student is considered tardy upon arriving after 8:00 a.m. Tardiness to 1st class is excused if the student has:

A signed note from a parent or guardian with a contact number.

Tardiness is excused to other classes if the student has:

A signed note from the previous period’s teacher with explanation.

Tardiness due to dental/medical appointments must be accompanied by a physician’s note.

Unexcused tardiness
Progressive discipline may commence at the cumulative fourth tardy per quarter including but limited to the following:

Parent/Guardian phone call and/or conference

Detention

Suspension

Truancy (ditching, intentionally missing class)
Truancy is a tardy arrival of 15 minutes or more without an excuse; or an "unexcused absence" from school or class without the knowledge and consent of the parents or the proper school authority, either for a whole day or any part of the day.

Truancy is a serious offense that may result in a phone call to a parent/guardian along with suspension. When a student has been "truant", the student will not be allowed to make up missed work.

Absences
Students who are absent must be re-admitted to school. All students (K-12) must report directly to the main office for a re-admit slip. In order for an absence to be excused, the student in grades:

K-5 students must go to the main office with a parent and a signed note for a re-admit slip.
6th-12th students must have a written note signed and dated by the parent/guardian

including reason for absence and a phone number. The parent must call the office regarding a student’s absence the first day of the absence. Student must obtain a re-admit slip and have it signed by all teachers.

Any absence without a note is unexcused; a student has one (1) day to provide documentation to excuse the absence.

Excused Absences
Absences are excused for the following reasons:
Student illness (more than 3 days; physicians note required)
Death in the family
Natural Disaster
Family emergencies
Medical appointments
Quarantine directly by a county or city health officer
Legal issues
School-related activities

Make-up Work for Excused Absences ONLY
Upon returning from an excused absence, the secondary student or elementary parent is responsible for conferring with the teacher or using the online grading system to retrieve missed assignments. All assignments must be submitted at the designated date and time outlined by the teacher. It may be necessary for missed work, including tests, to be made up before and after school. A student who has given advanced notice for an absence may choose to take a test (only if a test is already available) or turn in homework before the absence. Excessive excused absences will not be allowed. The following conditions apply to make-up work:

If the homework or test was assigned prior to the absence, the student is responsible fo the homework or test on the day the student returns to school. An additional one day extension may be granted to students based on parent/guardian request to teacher (Please use integrity). For missed work, submittal period of one (1) day being allowed for each excused absence. The make-up period may not exceed one week or go beyond the grading period. Missed assignments will not be accepted at the end of a grading period as a final effort to improve a grade.

Unexcused Absences
Absences will be considered unexcused but are not limited to the following reasons:
Taking care of younger siblings
Staying home to avoid an examination or to study for an examination
Student suspension
Oversleeping
Parent fails to send a note after one day of absence
Hair appointments, shopping, automobile repairs,
Travel or vacation without advance approval of principal
Parent notes without either any explanation or an excusable reason (as defined above)
Attendance is essential! It is at the teacher’s discretion to allow late work/test, for unexcused absences to be recorded at a 27% reduction of the point value earned for late submittal. A student is not permitted to participate in any extracurricular programs on the day that they have been absent for more than half of the school day.
Note: Parents are responsible for the punctual and regular attendance of their children.

Unexcused absences are subject to disciplinary action including but not limited to the following:
Parent/Guardian phone call and/or conference
Detention
Suspension

Extended Absence (Three or more days)
The parent or guardian of a student, who will be absent for more than two days, must notify the main office, at least 48 hours in advance, so that arrangements can be made for home assignments. A licensed physician’s written release must be provided for any absence of three or more consecutive school days when it is due to illness or injury.

Early Sign-out Procedures
The parent must contact the Main Office regarding his/her request for a student to leave campus prior to the end of the school day. Any student who leaves campus early without checking out from the Main Office will be recorded as unexcused and suspended. Students may not leave campus during the school day without telephone contact, or appearance of, the parent or legal guardian. Notes from home requesting that a student be dismissed at a particular time will not be accepted without proper telephone or personal contact from the parent or legal guardian Students will only be released to their parent or legal guardian, except in extreme cases where the administration has made the exception. Senior students, who are authorized to leave campus before close of school day, must sign out daily in the Main Office. Seniors who fail to sign out will be subject to disciplinary action including but not limited to detention or suspension.