School Board Policy

The Board recognizes that attendance is an important factor in educational success, and supports a comprehensive approach to identify and address attendance issues.

Definitions:
      Compulsory school age shall mean the period of a child’s life from the time the child’s parents/guardian’s elect to have the child enter school, and which shall be no later than six (6) years of age until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. The term does not include a child who holds a certificate of graduation from a regularly accredited, licensed, registered or approved high school.

     Habitually truant shall mean six (6) or more school days of unexcused absences during the current school year by a child subject to compulsory school attendance.

     Truant shall mean having incurred three (3) or more school days of unexcused absences during the current school year by a child subject to compulsory school attendance.

     Tardiness shall be defined as “the occurrence of a student arriving after the bell rings signifying the beginning of the official school day.”

Excused/Lawful Absence

The following conditions or situations constitute reasonable cause for absence from school:

●  Illness, including if a student is dismissed by designated district staff during school hours for health-related reasons.

●  Obtaining professional health care or therapy service rendered by a licensed practitioner of the healing arts in any state, commonwealth or territory.

●  Quarantine.

●  Family emergency.

●  Recovery from accident.

●  Court attendance.

●  Death in family.

●  Participation in a project sponsored by a statewide or countywide 4-H, FFA or combined

●  4- H and FFA group, upon prior written request.

●  Observance of a religious holiday observed by bonafide religious group, upon prior written parental request.

●  Non-school-sponsored educational tours or trips, if the following conditions are met:

      ○  The parent/guardian submits a written request for excusal prior to the absence.

      ○  The student's participation has been approved by the Superintendent or designee.

      ○  The adult directing and supervising the tour or trip is acceptable to the parent/guardian and the Superintendent.

●  College or post-secondary institution visit, with prior approval.

●  Other urgent reasons. Urgent reasons shall be strictly construed and do not permit irregular attendance.
The district may limit the number and duration of:

     ○  Non-school sponsored educational tours or trips

     ○  College or post-secondary institution visits for which excused absences may be granted to a student during the school year.

Parental Notice of Absence

     Absences shall be treated as unlawful until the district receives a written excuse note sent to the office explaining the absence. The note must to be submitted within three (3) days of the student’s return to school. Written excuse notes may be submitted via email to the school’s attendance office within three (3) days of the student’s return to school. Please note that only notes emailed directly to the attendance office will be accepted. Notes emailed to other staff in the building will NOT be accepted. Please check with your student’s building for the email address of the attendance office.

    A maximum of ten (10) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification shall be permitted during a school year. Once a student accumulates ten (10) absences covered by parental written excuse, or ten (10) cumulative excused and unexcused absences, all subsequent absences shall require an excuse from a medical provider or licensed practitioner of the healing arts. If a student is sent home by the nurse after they already reached the 10 cumulative days, and are absent the following day because they have to be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school, a note from the parent will be needed for that day, but doctor’s note will not be required. Absences due to approved requests for a family trip are not counted towards the ten (10) cumulative days.

Unexcused/Unlawful Absence or Tardies

   Students will only be considered present for the day if they are present for fifty (50) percent or more of the school day.

*Please note that the above information is just a portion of school board policy 204. You are encouraged to read the policy in its entirety by visiting the school district’s website.