7-12 Grade Attendance Policy Updates

ATTENDANCE POLICY PHILOSOPHY

The South Iron School District believes regular attendance of students is ESSENTIAL for a productive and successful learning process. Being so, students must satisfactorily meet attendance requirements as a precondition to receiving credit toward graduation. Irregular attendance places the student at risk of failure as well as developing non-productive habits that often carry over to the workplace and other avenues of life. However, it is recognized that, at times, there are events that are beyond the control of the student which have to be taken into account. Therefore, the South Iron School District Attendance Policy is established to encourage maximum student participation while allowing for the realities of everyday life.

ABSENCE DEFINED

A student is considered absent anytime he/she is not present at school for any portion of the school day. Student attendance is recorded and maintained on a class-by-class basis as a district and state requirement, as well as for the purpose of perfect attendance, A+ requirements, and monitoring for attendance policy violations.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

Students must not exceed five (5) absences in each class period for the semester. School sponsored activities will not count toward this limit. With all student absences, parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Principal’s office the day their child is absent.

1. Excused absences should be used each semester to address the following

1. Personal illness - a doctor’s note is required to substantiate these days in the event a student exceeds the five-day (5) limit per semester. All medical documentation should be turned into the office within two (2) school days of the absence.

2. Professional appointments that could not be scheduled outside of the regular school day. All documentation explaining the nature of the absence(s) should be turned into the office within two (2) school days of the absence.

2. The following absences from school could be considered excused absences and not count against a student’s five (5) days providing proper documentation is provided to the Attendance Committee:

1. Bereavement Leave – When a death occurs in a student’s immediate family, the student may take up to three days off to attend the funeral or make funeral arrangements. Extenuating circumstances that require more than three days may be reviewed by the administration at the family's request. The district may require verification of the need for the leave. The Board defines "immediate family" to include:

• The student’s parents.

• The following relatives of the student: grandparents, siblings, and any other family member residing with the student.

• Any primary caregiver.

After the exhaustion of the three days of bereavement leave, the attendance policy will be enforced unless extra days are approved by the attendance committee.

2. If it is necessary for a student to miss extended days of school for any other unusual/unforeseen reason, the school should be notified immediately to discuss if any accommodations can be made.

ATTENDANCE VIOLATION/INTERVENTION

3. After the fifth (5) absence from any class in a semester, future absences will be considered unexcused. Students who have reached six (6) absences may come before the Attendance Review Committee. The Attendance Review Committee will meet weekly.

4. As a courtesy, Parents/Guardians will be sent an intervention letter when absences exceed three (3) days and/or class periods, and again at five (5) days and/or class periods as notification that their student is in danger of failing to meet the established requirements of the attendance policy.

On the sixth (6) absence, a certified letter will be sent notifying the household that their child has violated the attendance policy and will fail to earn credit due to poor attendance unless he/she “buys” back time (to be completed outside regular school hours). Buy back time will be coordinated by our Attendance Recovery Coordinator. Students must make up 30 minutes per class period for each absence over their allowable limit. Buy back time must be completed within two weeks of the absence, or the end of the semester, whichever comes first. Failure to do so will result in failure to earn course credit(s) for that semester. Students are not permitted to bank buy back time in advance.

This letter also serves as an invitation to a mandatory attendance hearing. Both student and parent/guardian MUST be present at this meeting.

On the tenth (10) absence in any single class period, a certified letter will be sent detailing that the student will automatically fail to earn their credit(s) in each course for which they exceeded the attendance limit for that academic semester, and will be referred to the Iron County Sheriff's department for failure to meet Missouri’s Compulsory Attendance Law.

After a student’s tenth (10) absence, parents/guardians will be given the opportunity to appeal to the attendance committee in order to regain their student’s credit. If the parent/guardian opts to appeal, they will be granted an audience with the attendance committee to discuss their student’s violation of the attendance policy. This meeting must take place within two (2) weeks of the attendance violation. The objective of this meeting is to grant students, parents, and guardians the opportunity to provide an explanation and/or evidence as to why their student missed school. Both student and parent/guardian MUST be present at this meeting. The attendance committee will notify the student/parent/guardian in writing within two (2) school days of the meeting whether or not a waiver will be granted.

It is important that the student accompany their parent/guardian to any/all meetings. Failure to do so WILL result in the student failing to earn credit(s) as a condition of the South Iron R-I Attendance Policy.

The attendance of students granted a waiver will be monitored for the remainder of the semester. Any further absences could result in the loss of credit(s) for that semester.

Students NOT granted the attendance waiver will not earn credit for the course(s) for which they have exceeded the attendance limit for that semester. As a result, students may be placed in the Alternative Classroom for the class period(s) for which they lost credit, or in some cases, may be dropped from school altogether for the remainder of the semester.

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE ATTENDANCE POLICY

5. Students who are absent ½ day or more on the day of an activity will be considered ineligible to participate on that date without prior consent of the Principal. No student may leave school during the day except by permission of the Principal or his representative. Students who have appointments should have their parents contact the school and indicate the time the student must leave. No student will leave the building without signing out in the office. When a student returns to the building, he/she will sign in at the office.

6. Out-of-school suspension absences will be considered unexcused as the student has rendered him/herself unavailable to receive instruction, and will be applied to the total number of days the student has been absent. Any student with an out-of-school suspension may not attend any school function while suspended, nor are they permitted on school property.

7. Any student receiving homebound instruction is not permitted to be at any school function without permission from administration.

8. Students in grades seven (7) to twelve (12) achieving perfect attendance (no checking in late, no absences, and no leaving early) will receive an incentive for maintaining perfect attendance each quarter.

DUE PROCESS

All decisions made by the Attendance Committee may be appealed in accordance with Board Policy. This process will begin by appealing to the Superintendent of Schools.