Attendance

Student Attendance

The Board of Education has established the following rules and regulations regarding attendance, absences and excuses for students. These rules and regulations are intended to comply with Missouri Compulsory Attendance Law (167.031 RSMo.) which establishes compulsory attendance for all children between the ages of seven and sixteen unless their education is provided by other acceptable means or otherwise excusable under the law.

Excusable Absences

In case of absence, it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify the school. If the school is not notified on the day of absence, a note from the parent/guardian will be required on the first day of the student's return to school. The absence will be recorded as unexcused if a note or telephone call is not received.

Excusable absences include, but are not limited to:

1.                  Illness of the student (Doctor's statement may be required to support such absences).

2.                  Days of religious observance.

3.                  Death in the family (Each District shall define degree of relatedness required to excuse absence).

4.                  Family emergencies which necessitate absence from school. The school must be notified in advance when such absences are foreseen. (Each District shall define the degree of emergency required to excuse absence).

The following procedures should be followed by students who are absent so as to prevent academic difficulties:

1.                  The student shall obtain assignments from appropriate staff members.  Assignments shall be obtained in advance if the absence is foreseen.

2.                  All assigned work shall be submitted upon returning to school.

3.                  All classroom work (to include tests) shall be completed as indicated by the individual classroom teacher.

A student who complies with a subpoena to testify in a criminal proceeding, attends a criminal proceeding, or who participates in the preparation for a criminal proceeding will not be disciplined for violation of the District’s attendance policy. Similarly, such student’s parents/guardians will not be in violation of the state’s truancy schedule §167.061.

Unexcused Absences

Attendance patterns for all students will be monitored.  Absences which are not clearly excusable will be investigated by the principal and/or staff, and appropriate action will be taken:

                                                                                                                      (Disciplinary Option)

 

1.                  After a student has been absent for three (3) consecutive days, it is the building principal's responsibility to contact the parent/guardian by telephone or letter in order to inquire about the reason for the student's absence.

2.                  If the principal is unable to contact the parent/guardian within three (3) days or the parent/guardian does not give a reasonable explanation for the absence within three (3) days, the building principal shall send a registered letter to the parent/guardian requesting a conference within a week.

3.                  If the parent/guardian does not contact the principal within a week of receipt of the registered letter, the building principal will make a referral to the proper legal authorities.

4.                  The building principal shall also notify the office of the Superintendent in writing of the excessive absence and continue to update the Superintendent on the situation.

Excessive Absences

All students are expected to attend school regularly and to be on time for classes in order to get maximum benefit from the instructional program and to develop habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility.  There is felt to be a direct relationship between poor attendance, class failure, and dropouts.  The following are items comprising the attendance policy of the Adair County R-II Schools.

1.         Students may miss no more than 5 days or the equivalent of 5 school days to receive any "credit" during a given semester for all classes enrolled.  Students may miss no more than 5 periods of any one class to receive "credit" for the semester.

2.         "Credit" will be defined as 1/2 unit of Carnegie credit per class each semester.  Any student exceeding 5 days in a semester will forfeit the 1/2 unit of credit for each class and have placed on their official transcript the letters "NC" (no credit) under the column "semester grade".  Also, the "NC" will be footnoted with an explanation of the school's attendance policy and loss of credit.

3.         College Visit allowances: Juniors will be allowed 1 college visit and Seniors will be allowed 2 college visits per year that will not count towards their 5 absences.  Visits must be arranged through the counselor, be pre-approved, and bring back documentation in order for them not to count towards their 5 days.

4.         The only exception to the attendance policy is a doctor, dentist, or orthodontist certified medical excuse, or mandatory courtroom appearance documented by the court or law firm.  Excused absences are based on the honesty and integrity of the parents and their doctor.  Notes MUST be turned into the office within two business days of the absence in order to be excused. If the School Nurse sends a student home for illness, no excuse is required for that day and the following day.

5.         Make-up of missed work, tests, etc.:  It is the student's responsibility to obtain all homework and hand it in on time.  One day will be allowed for each day missed.  For example, if you are sick for 2 days with the flu, you have 2 days to make up the work.   Assignments given or tests announced prior to an absence are due upon the students return to school.

6.         After the 3rd day of absence in any of the 7 class periods a letter will be sent to the parent or guardian to inform them of the student’s absences.  After the 5th day of a student's absence the parent or guardian will be contacted by phone or letter (if phone contact is not possible).

7.         Student tardiness will be reported and recorded on an hourly basis for each school day.  Students who accumulate eight tardies in a semester will receive a detention for the first offense. On the 12th tardy, the student will serve a day of ISS.  On the 15th tardy, the student will serve 1 day of ISS.  On the 16th tardy and over, each tardy will receive 1 day of ISS.

8.         Any student who exceeds 5 absences for any reason will make up each absence (in excess of 5 absences) minute for minute to receive credit for the semester.  If seat time is not made up the student will not receive credit for any class for the semester.  The time can be made up on our Mondays off as arranged by the Principal or during a HOT sheet detention time.  All make-up hours will be approved on a case by case basis.

The attendance policy is for grades 7-12, but because of the importance of regular attendance it is recommended that all students adhere to the policy.  Students grades K-6 who exceed the attendance policy may be referred to the Juvenile authorities.

                                                                                                 

                     (Disciplinary Option)                                                                                                                     

A student is expected to make up work as a result of class periods missed.  It shall be the student's responsibility to meet with the teacher and receive the necessary instructions and assignments.

Any exceptions to the items cited above shall be approved by the Board of Education.

Each principal may have written policies which further detail procedures for making up work, reporting absence, etc.

Appeal

High school students who are denied credit under this Regulation are entitled to utilize the due process procedures available for student suspensions. These provisions are contained in Regulation 2662 - Suspension.

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