Forest Hills Public Schools
Administrative Guidelines
 

5200 - ATTENDANCE

The Board of Education requires all students enrolled in the schools of this District to attend school regularly in accordance with the laws of the State. The District's educational program is predicated upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. The regular contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in a well-planned instructional activity under the tutelage of a competent teacher are vital to this purpose.

Students will strive to attend ninety percent (90%) or more of scheduled school days. The school shall make regular contact with parent(s)/guardians(s) of students who have developed patterns of absenteeism. The school shall maintain accurate records of student attendance and shall document all contacts with parent(s)/guardian(s) regarding attendance concerns.

Absences not Counted for Attendance Intervention

The District accepts only the following as excusable reasons for absence from school. Each absence shall be recorded in the teacher's daily record book.

Up to five equivalent school days of lost instruction, per school year, may be excused by a parent or guardian who contacts the school by 9:30 a.m. Absences may be excused for the reasons indicated below. Absences for any other reason shall be considered unexcused.

 A.Serious illness of a family member
 B.Death in the immediate family
 C.Illness/injury or quarantine of the student
 D.Dental or medical services
 E.Appearance in court
 F.Observance of a holiday or ceremony of his/her religion
 G.Family emergencies
 H.In-school and out-of-school suspension
 I.Weather related absences "snow days" excused at the District level
 J.Reasons authorized by the Principal

Absences that do not accumulate against this guideline include field trips and college visits.

Chronic Absenteeism

Absences counted for attendance intervention:
 A.Unexcused absences.
 B.Excused absences after the five equivalent days noted above.
 C.Proportional lost learning time absences as accumulated through tardies or early dismissal.

Tardies counted for absenteeism:
 A.Student arrives or leaves early by thirty (30) minutes in the a.m. or p.m. = .2 day absence
 B.Student arrives or leaves early more than thirty-one (31) minutes in the a.m. or p.m. = .5 day absence.
 C.Students riding a bus shall not be considered tardy if the bus is late.
 D.Tardiness may be excused for other reasons that the Principal considers appropriate.

Chronic absenteeism refers to students missing an extended period of school when both excused and unexcused absences are taken into account. Chronic absence is defined as missing ten percent (10%) or more of the school year (for example: equivalent to seventeen (17) days out of a 174 day school year) regardless of whether absences are excused or unexcused.

At the elementary level, a student shall be considered truant each day s/he is inexcusably absent from school. Absence is defined as non-presence in the school setting any time beyond the start of school. At the secondary level, a student shall be considered truant any day s/he is absent from a class to which s/he is assigned.

The Forest Hills Public Schools Board of Education strongly supports a policy utilizing every resource available to involve students in an ongoing educational program on the basis of regular attendance in school.

Truancy demonstrates a deliberate disregard for the educational program and is considered as a serious matter and the administrative action taken will be as follows:

 A.No credit will be recorded for work missed as result of truancy.
 B.A record of the truancy will be entered in the student's record file.
 C.A parent conference may be held.

The disciplining of truant students shall be in accord with Board policies and due process (as defined in Policy 5611) and the Student Code of Conduct.

Encouraging Positive School Participation

Promoting and fostering desired student attendance habits requires a commitment from the administration, faculty, and parents. No single individual or group can - in and of itself - successfully accomplish this task.

A professional staff member's responsibility, therefore, may include, but not be limited to:

 A.providing meaningful learning experiences every day;
  A student who is absent from any given class period should be missing a significant component of the course.
 B.speaking frequently of the importance of students being in class, on time, ready to participate;
 C.keeping accurate attendance records (excused vs. unexcused);
 D.requiring an admit slip from a student when s/he returns from an absence and invoking a consequence if s/he does not have one;
 E.requiring students to make up missed quizzes, tests, and other pertinent assignments.

Students Leaving School During School Day
 A.No staff member shall permit or cause any student to leave school prior to the regular hour of dismissal except with the knowledge and approval of the principal and with the knowledge and approval of the student's parents.
 B.No student will be released to any government agency without proper warrant or written parental permission except in the event of an emergency as determined by principal.

Student Vacations During the School Year

Students are permitted to go on vacation during the school year without penalty. The purpose of this administrative guideline is to accommodate parents who want to take their vacations during the school year because of company (industry) policies and the desire to enjoy that time as a family.

 A.Whenever a proposed absence-for-vacation is requested, parents must discuss it with the principal. The length of absence should be made clear, and those involved should have an opportunity to express their views on the potential effects of the absence.

 B.The student can be given his/her academic work, learning targets, books and the approximate material to be covered.

 C.Separate daily assignments may be given.

 D.The time missed will be counted as absence, but shall not be a factor in determining grades.

Make-Up Opportunities

A student may make up units of study with a properly certificated teacher if prior approval has been granted by the principal.

 A.Evening high school attendance for make-up is also permitted.
 B.Students will be given the opportunity for making up work missed due to approved absences and suspensions. The length of time for completion of make-up work shall be commensurate with the length of the absence.
 C.A student wishing to make up work must call his/her counselor. The counselor will consult with the student's teachers and send assignments to the student.
 D.The make-up work must be completed and presented to the teacher upon his/her return to school. Tests missed during the period of suspension may be made up by the students by contacting the teacher on the day of his/her return to school. The teacher, at his/her convenience, may administer the test or assign alternate written work in lieu of the test missed.

Tardiness
 A.Students not in homeroom or in class when the late bell rings are considered tardy.
 B.Students who attend any part of the class shall be recorded as present.
 C.High School/Middle School students who are tardy to school must report to the principal's office to sign in.
 D.When a teacher detains a student after class, s/he shall issue a late pass for the student's next class.
 E.Teachers are requested to refer only those cases of chronic tardiness to the principal.

Tardiness counted for absenteeism:
 A.Student arrives or leaves early by thirty (30) minutes in the a.m. or p.m. = .2 day absence
 B.Student arrives or leaves early more than thirty-one (31) minutes in the a.m. or p.m. = .5 day absence.
 C.Students riding a bus shall not be considered tardy if the bus is late.
 D.Tardiness may be excused for other reasons that the Principal considers appropriate.

Revised 5/15/17