Attendance Policy

Attendance Line: 520.625.3502 x1800

Attendance is important and vital to a student’s education. By State law, parents are responsible to send their students to school. Failure to do so may result in a report being filed with the appropriate legal authorities. Also, by state law, if a student misses ten consecutive school days and the school has not been notified of the reason for the absence, the school is required to withdraw the student from school.

Excused/Unexcused Absences

  • Excused: Absence due to routine medical appointments, illness, or injury  for which the student has been seen by a medical professional. (Student must present doctor’s note or bereavement)
  • Unexcused: Any absence NOT accompanied by a medical note or bereavement. Parent phone calls/notes are unexcused absences.

WALDEN GROVE HIGH SCHOOL: Attendance Policy

Attendance Line: 625-3502 ext 1800

Attendance is important and vital to a student’s education. By State law, parents are responsible to send their students to school. Failure to do so may result in a report being filed with the appropriate legal authorities. Also, by state law, if a student misses ten consecutive school days and the school has not been notified of the reason for the absence, the school is required to withdraw the student from school.

Excused/Unexcused Absences

  • Excused: Absence due to routine medical appointments, illness, or injury  for which the student has been seen by a medical professional. (Student must present doctor’s note or bereavement)
  • Unexcused: Any absence NOT accompanied by a medical note or bereavement. Parent phone calls/notes areunexcused absences.

The total number of unexcused absences shall NOT exceed 9 per class, per semester. 10 or more absences in any class shall result in a No Grade (“NG”).  (See Loss of Credit below)

Any student who has accumulated ten (10) consecutive unexcused absences will lose credit and will be withdrawn from school.

Absences will not count against the student when they result from one of the following:

  1. The student’s participation in a school related activity.
  2. The student being suspended for misconduct.
  3. Recognized religious holidays that require the student not to attend school.

Notification

If a student is absent from school, the parent/guardian must notify the Attendance Office in writing within 48 hours of absence. The parent/guardian must indicate the date/times and reason for the absence.Professional documentation or a parent/guardian note must accompany the student upon his/her return to school. It will be placed in his/her attendance folder and reviewed at the appeals process if an appeal for credit is necessary. “My son/daughter was absent yesterday, 8/20/2014, because of the flu”- is reasonable. However, “My son/daughter missed days because of illness and car trouble throughout the semester”, does not meet timely notification requirements. A messaging service has been implemented in which parents will be notified via text message, voice-mail, or email of their child’s absences and tardies if they have not been previously called in.

Make Up Work

All students, including those with special accommodations, shall be permitted the same amount of time to finish make-up work. A request for class assignments must be made for any extended non-school activities (i.e. funerals, seminars, family emergencies, etc.)

  • It is the student’s responsibility to initiate make-up scheduling for work missed.
  • Work missed due to documented absences: Full credit will be given for work made up on time as a result of documented absences.
  • Work missed due to undocumented absences: Work must be made up, but full credit may or may not be given pending  the teachers discretion.
  • Work missed due to suspension: Work must be made up.

Loss of Credit

A student with ten (10) unexcused absences from a class during a semester shall not receive credit for that class. A grade of “F” will remain an “F” regardless of days absent.

Appeal Process for Credit

Loss of credit may be appealed by a parent/guardian. If there are extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student, an appeal committee composed of one administrator (Assistant Principal or Principal), a school counselor, and the attendance clerk will hear the appeal. If the committee has verified that extenuating circumstances are involved, they may recommend to the Principal that the policy be waived for that student. The recommendation will also contain an explanation of the unusual circumstances involved. The committee will use the historical documentation provided within the student’s attendance file to draw a reasonable verdict for each appeal.The NO GRADE (NG)- loss of credit appeal must be filed within 2 weeks of the grade reports being mailed home. Due to graduation, senior grade appeals  for second semester must be filed prior to graduation.

If the parents are dissatisfied with the committee’s decision, they may appeal to the Superintendent within three (3) days.  The Principal will schedule a hearing.

If the parents are dissatisfied with the Superintendent’s decision, they may appeal to the school board within three (3) days. Their appeal shall be written in a letter, and the letter shall describe in detail all objections to the Superintendent and committee’s decision. The Governing Board shall consider this appeal within twenty-five (25) days of receipt of the appeal.

A student who is appealing the attendance decision shall remain in class. If the student has an absence during the appeal process, the appeal shall be dropped and the student will lose credit for the course or courses.

If a student has lost credit for a class, the student may continue the class provided the student is not a discipline problem.