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attendance policies and procedures.
ATTENDANCE – Excused Absences
ATTENDANCE – Excessive Absences
ATTENDANCE –
Unexcused Absences
ATTENDANCE – Consequences for Unexcused
Absences (Skipping)
ATTENDANCE – Consequences for Leaving
Campus without BHS permission
ATTENDANCE –
Procedures for Absences
ATTENDANCE – Make-Up Policies for
Assignments
ATTENDANCE – Arriving
During School Hours
ATTENDANCE – Leaving During School Hours
ATTENDANCE –
Unauthorized Absence from Class
2009-2010
Attendance Policies and Procedures
ATTENDANCE –
Excused Absences
Attendance is
a key factor in student achievement, and, therefore, students are expected to be
present each day that school is in session. Conditions for which a
student’s absence may be excused are:
-
Illness of the student. The principal may require a
doctor’s statement
-
Illness in the immediate family, which requires absence of
the student from school. The principal may require a doctor’s
statement.
-
Death in the immediate family. Absence should not
exceed 5 days.
-
Religious holidays regularly observed by persons of the
student’s faith. The principal may require a statement from the
minister or other person recognized by the given religious group.
-
Absences for other reasons may be excused if, in the
judgment of the principal, the circumstances warrant.
-
Subpoenaed court appearances.
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There is only one family or other personal trip allowed
per year.
-
To obtain a Driver’s License, you are only allotted three
periods of the day.
If a parent or teacher feels that the principal has been either too
harsh or too lenient in judging an absence as excused or unexcused, he should
communicate this to the principal whose judgment, after further consideration of
the matter, will be final at the school level. Parents may, if they still
disagree, forward their complaint to the Director of Schools.
ATHLETIC OR
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES – Students who are ill and unable to
attend school on the day of an athletic or extracurricular activity will not be
permitted to participate on that date. Students involved in extracurricular and
athletic activities are expected to arrive at school on time and remain in
school for the entire day. If a student involved in extracurricular and
athletic activities is absent any portion of the day of the event, he/she must
notify the coach or sponsor immediately. Any exceptions to this policy
must by approved by an administrator.
CLASS ABSENCE –
If a student is 15 or more minutes late to any class period, the student will be
considered absent for that class period.
COLLEGE DAYS –
Seniors will be allowed two visits per year; juniors will be allowed one visit
per year. In order to receive an excused absence, the student must bring a
statement from the college on school letterhead to verify the visit.
College visits will count as an absence toward senior exemption from mid-term
and final exams. Also, students must have their absence approved in
advance by attendance and must check with their teachers for assignments.
Any absence for a college visit above the allotted visit(s), must be prearranged
and approved by an administrator. Freshmen and sophomores will not be
given approved college visits.
FIELD TRIPS are
considered school activities and are not counted as an absence from class.
SENIOR EXAMINATIONS – Semester and
final exams for individual subjects shall not be required for those high school
seniors who have maintained a 91 average in that subject, have been absent no
more than 6 days (including college visitation days approved in advance by the
principal) during the semester, and have not been suspended during the semester.
The 6 days of absence includes all absences in a class whether excused or
unexcused. Suspension includes days assigned to in-school suspension,
out-of-school suspension, and/or suspensions to the ALC.
SPECIAL DAYS – A doctor’s note may be required for an absence to be
excused on particular days in the school calendar. The principal may call
for this documentation to ensure adequate attendance on days such as the day
before Prom, Spring Break, and other special days.
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
– Students involved in a traffic accident may receive an excused absence/tardy
with documentation from the proper authority.
ATTENDANCE –
Excessive Absences
- A student with 10 OR MORE ABSENCES per
year will be required to have doctors’ notes for any new absences to be
excused.
- Ten (10) consecutive or fifteen (15) total
unexcused absences during any semester result in a student becoming
ineligible to retain a driver’s permit or license, or to obtain such if of
age.
ATTENDANCE –
Unexcused Absences
- Students who have had five unexcused absences within a
school year will have violated the attendance laws of this state. The name
of any student who has accumulated five unexcused absences shall be
submitted to the Attendance Department for proper disposition. The Director
of Schools shall report any child who habitually and unlawfully absents
himself from school to the juvenile judge, where said judge shall deal with
the matter as he may determine to be in the best interest of the child.
- SKIPPING SCHOOL – Any student who is
absent from class for an unacceptable reason is considered to be skipping,
and the absence is unexcused. Lunch is a class period. The penalty for
skipping will usually result in detention or assignment to in-school
suspension and/or loss of parking privileges. Skipping during exam week may
bring about an ISS assignment at the beginning of the next semester.
Repeated violators may be referred to Juvenile Court and the ALC. Seniors
are reminded that any form of suspension means a loss of exam exemptions.
ATTENDANCE
– Consequences for Unexcused Absences (Skipping)
1st Incident of a Period Absence – 2 Detentions
2nd Incident of a Period Absence – Friday School
(or 1st time with multiple periods)
3rd Incident of a Period Absence – ISS (1 Day)
4th Incident of a Period Absence – ISS (2 Days)
5th Incident of a Period Absence – ISS and parent meeting with assistant
principal to discuss ALC/Court Petition
ATTENDANCE – Consequences for Leaving Campus without BHS permission
1st Incident – 1 day ISS, possible loss
of driving/parking privileges
2nd Incident – 3 days ISS, loss of driving/parking privileges
3rd Incident - 5 days ISS, loss of driving/parking privileges
4th Incident - Minimum 5 days ISS, possible ALC, loss of driving/parking
privileges
ATTENDANCE –
Procedures for Absences
-
Parents should phone the Office of Student Services (472-4225) between 7:30
and 10:00 A.M. the day the student is absent.
The fax number for the attendance office is 472-4241.
-
All excused absences require a
written verification by a parent or guardian on the day of return.
The note should include the dates absent, the reason for the absence,
and the phone number where the parent or guardian may be contacted during
the day. If the parent has not
already called, the school will attempt to confirm the written verification
by phone. The note will be accepted
up to three days after the absence.
-
After an absence, students will be admitted to class only with an
admittance slip signed by the attendance supervisor.
The Office of Student Services opens at 7:00 A.M.
-
The student must have the teacher of each class missed sign the admittance
slip. If the student forgets or
loses his admit slip, he must get a replacement.
If class time is missed while
getting an admit slip, the student will also be given a tardy slip.
-
A student should report to class before requesting a pass to the clinic,
guidance, or the Office of Students Services.
The absence from class will be considered unexcused for the class
period if this procedure is not followed.
-
PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCES – Absences for reasons not defined in this document
must be pre-arranged and approved by the grade-level principal
one week prior to the absence.
A letter stating dates and the purpose of the absence should be
submitted to the Office of Student Services.
The grade-level principal will review the student’s attendance and
grades to decide whether to grant the request.
If the request is approved, the Office of Student Services will
provide an absence form for each teacher to initial prior to the trip.
It is the student’s responsibility to request and return all make-up
work as designated by their teachers.
No additional note is needed when the student returns to school after
completing the pre-arranged absence unless the number of absent days
changes.
ATTENDANCE – Make-Up
Policies for Assignments
-
The student must take responsibility
to get assignments when absent.
It is recommended that the student go to his/her teachers before or after
school if the student cannot obtain adequate information from classmates.
-
For absences of one to three days, a student
may have up to three days to
complete all make-up work. The
teacher and the student will develop a plan for completing the assigned work
upon return of the student.
-
If a student misses one day and returns on a test day, then the student
should have an extra day to make up the work unless the test was announced
prior to the student’s absence. Then
the student should take the test on the scheduled day.
-
FIELD TRIPS – It is the student’s responsibility to notify his teacher of an
absence prior to the field trip and to obtain assignments for the day(s) he
will be out of class. At this time
the teacher will give the date the assignments will be due.
If the test, assignment, or quiz has been scheduled prior to the
field trip, the student is required to take the test no later than the day
of his return. Failure to follow
these procedures may result in a zero on the work missed.
-
Students with prearranged absences must consult teachers concerning
assignments in advance.
ATTENDANCE – Arriving During School
Hours
-
A student arriving to school less
than 15 minutes late will report directly to his/her first class.
The teacher will determine whether it is necessary for the student to
report to Student Services.
-
A student arriving to school more
than 15 minutes late must SIGN IN and bring a note
to the Office of Student Services
immediately upon arrival. The
note must include the date, reason for the late arrival, the
parent’s/guardian’s signature, and a phone number to contact the parent
during the day. Students who submit
forged or unauthorized notes will be subject to suspension.
These notes must be confirmed by phone before a decision is made
about whether the lateness is excused.
If the student arranges a phone call impersonating a parent, all
students involved will be subject to suspension.
-
If a student has left school and is returning, the student should report to
the Office of Student Services, sign in
immediately, and secure a proper
admittance pass.
ATTENDANCE – Leaving During School Hours
-
Any student requesting an early dismissal should leave a note signed by his
parent or guardian in the Office of Student Services before 7:25 A.M.
All notes should contain the date, the specific reason for leaving,
the parent or guardian’s signature, and the parent or guardian’s daytime
phone number.
The parent or guardian will be
contacted prior to student release to verify the note.
-
STUDENTS MUST SIGN OUT.
- Early dismissals cannot be issued
during assemblies or special school events.
- Parents are urged to schedule
dental and medical appointments outside school hours.
When such appointments cannot be scheduled outside school hours,
parents must send a written request for dismissal to the school or call for
the pupil in person. When the
student returns, he should submit an official statement from the
professional involved citing the date and time of the appointment.
- A student who becomes ill during
the day should report to the clinic with a pass written by the teacher of
his class. The student’s parent will
be contacted to make arrangements for the student’s care.
- In order to go to the school
parking lot during the school day, students must obtain a pass from an
administrator.
-
No pupil shall
be sent from the school during school hours to perform an errand, retrieve
forgotten items, or act as a messenger, except with the approval of the
principal and the consent of the pupil’s parent or guardian.
Errands are considered UNEXCUSED.
ATTENDANCE – Unauthorized Absence from
Class
-
Any student out of his/her designated classroom should have a hall pass
completed and signed by a member of the faculty or administration.
It is the student’s responsibility to obtain a hall pass.
-
Any student in the halls during class time without an authorized pass will
be referred to the Office of Student Services.
The student will be given an unexcused admittance slip back to class.
The student may be considered skipping.
-
Except to move to classes, assemblies, and during lunch, students are not to
be outside the building during the day without an authorized pass.
Students found outside without a pass will be considered skipping.
The result may be the loss of parking privileges, detention, or ISS.
-
Students who
arrive on the
Brentwood
High School campus in the morning should not leave
campus to go anywhere, including
Granny
White
Park.
Upon arrival at school, students are to
immediately enter and remain in the building.
Violations may result in a warning, detention, or loss of campus
driving/parking privileges.
Parents of repeat offenders will be notified.