Danbury Public Schools Student Attendance Procedure/Guidelines

Transcription

1 Danbury Public Schls Student Attendance Prcedure/Guidelines Research shws that few factrs within students and families cntrl are mre clsely assciated with academic success than schl attendance. Students need t be in the classrm t benefit frm the teacher s instructin, and frm interactin and exchanges f ideas with peers. Excessive absences affect the culture f the classrm, where the faculty seeks t build a cmmunity f learners. A student s excessive absences r tardiness can lead t incmplete and unsatisfactry wrk, a reduced capacity t meet curricular standards, and lwer curse grades. Parents/guardians are partners with the schl and faculty in assuring that students have gd attendance and arrive in class n time and stay until the fficial end f the schl day. The Danbury Public Schls maintain accurate recrds f student attendance, and will cmmunicate prmptly and cnsistently with parents/guardians regarding attendance issues. This attendance plicy is designed t fster a culture f learning in the Danbury Public Schls. This plicy: Establishes firm expectatins that n-time schl and class attendance are imprtant in sustaining the learning envirnment and in meeting individual learning needs. Prvides significant flexibility t accmmdate legitimate absence r lateness with a minimum f administrative prcedure. Assures the timely flw f infrmatin frm parents/guardians t schl, and frm schl t parents/guardians abut attendance at schl and in class s that bth can wrk t imprve a situatin befre a student s educatin suffers. Clearly defines the respnsibilities f students, educatrs, and parents/guardians regarding absences, tardiness and dismissals. Cnnecticut State Law n Attendance: All children ver five and under eighteen years f age shall be required t attend a public day schl, unless the parent r persn having cntrl f such child is able t shw, t the satisfactin f the Bard f Educatin, that the child is receiving elsewhere the equivalent instructin t that prvided in a public day schl. The parent r persn having cntrl f a child seventeen years f age may cnsent t such child s withdrawal frm. The Bard has the respnsibility t mnitr cmpliance with all laws and regulatins gverning student attendance. Student attendance shall be mnitred administratively fr cmpliance with Bard plicies and the administratin will wrk with the parent and thse persns having cntrl f the child t assist them in the assumptin f their respnsibilities relative t State Laws and Bard f Educatin plicies. Parents wh d nt assume respnsibility fr their child s attendance as required by law may be referred t the State Prsecutr fr prsecutin. Prcedures fr implementatin f this plicy shall be gverned by administrative regulatins. A student is cnsidered t be in attendance if present at his/her assigned schl, r an activity spnsred by the schl (e.g., field trip) fr at least half f the regular schl day. A student wh August 2016 Page 1

2 is serving an in-schl suspensin f half a day r mre, ut-f-schl suspensin r expulsin shuld always be cnsidered absent. LEGAL REFERENCES: Cnnecticut General Statute , Chap. 168, Sec , Public Act , An Act Cncerning Minr Revisins t the Educatin Statutes, Sectin 18, Public Act Key Pints All Students: Shuld be in schl every scheduled day as mandated by Cnnecticut State Law. Absences shuld be called in as early as pssible, preferably with the 1 st hur f schl. If a student is absent, and n cntact was made with the parent/guardian then the parent/guardian must prvide dcumentatin explaining the reasn fr the absence. Absences are cnsidered excused with parent r guardian dcumentatin up t 9 days per schl year. Absences exceeding 10 days I a schl year are cnsidered unexcused unless they meet the fllwing criteria and apprpriate dcumentatin is prvided: Vacatins scheduled during schl days are cnsidered unexcused absences. Schl wrk will nt be prvided prir t the absence. In extenuating circumstances, a student r his/her parent/guardian may appeal t the administratin t reslve attendance issues. Attendance Cdes: Students wh are truant and attend ne f the district Magnet Schls, may be transferred frm the Magnet ILL Illness Schl t their hme schls. August 2016 Page 2

3 OEA Other Excused Absence as identified in this dcument SRA Schl Related Activity (Excused) ABVU Absence Verified but Unexcused (Parent/guardian cntacted schl and reasn fr absence prvided did nt fall int excused categries) ABU Absence Unverified (Parent/guardian did nt cntact the schl t reprt absence and schl persnnel cannt reach yu t determine reasn fr absence) TE Tardy Excused TU Tardy Unexcused EDE Early Dismissal Excused EDU Early Dismissal Unexcused ISS In Schl Suspensin OSS Out f Schl Suspensin HBD Hmebund LTH - Absent Mre Than Half Scheduled Day T15 - Tardy Unexcused Exceeding 15 Minutes August 2016 Page 3

4 Excused Absences In supprt f the mandatry attendance law, Danbury Public Schls defines excused absences. The fllwing cnditins prvide the ONLY acceptable reasns fr a student s absence frm schl. Failure t fllw the written prcedures belw may result in the absence being marked as unexcused. ILLNESS (ILL) When a student is unable t attend schl due t an illness. The District reserves the right t require a physician s r ther apprpriate certificatin fr absences in excess f five (5) cnsecutive days r a ttal f fifteen (15) days in any schl year. OTHER EXCUSED ABSENCES (OEA) The fllwing examples fall under the Other Excused Absence Cde: Prearranged Appintments We strngly encurage parents/guardians t schedule appintments fr their child utside f the schl day. Hwever we understand that in sme cases an appintment may need t ccur during the schl day. Please ntify the schl f any such appintments as they arise. When yur child ges t schl, the ffice will mark the time f the arrival/dismissal. This includes student curt appearances. Family Death r Emergency Fr absences because f a death in the family r an emergency beynd the family s cntrl, the parent/guardian must ntify the schl and prvide dcumentatin fr the absence. Chrnic/Extended Illness Fr students wh are absent because f chrnic illnesses, a disability, r because f a need fr hmebund services, the parent/guardian must cnsult with the principal at the beginning f the enrllment f the student in the schl r upn the nset f the student s cnditin that affects regular attendance. Reasns f health, including illness, incapacity, r dctr s visits. The District reserves the right t require a physician s r ther apprpriate certificatin fr absences in excess f five (5) cnsecutive days r a ttal f fifteen (15) days in any schl year. Dcumentatin frm a physician will be required. If the parent/guardian des nt prvide dcumentatin frm a physician f a chrnic r extended illness, the principal will review the child s attendance fr needed services and/r applicable sanctins f the attendance law. Religius Observances Absences as a result f bservances f religius hlidays shuld be prearranged by the parent/guardian wh is respnsible fr ntifying the child s schl f the religius hliday(s) t be bserved. If the parent/guardian is unable t prearrange the absence, a request fr exemptin must be received n later than the third day after the student s return t schl frm the absence ccasined by the religius bservance. Suspensins Fr absences because f suspensin, the parent/guardian will be ntified f the suspensin and the date when the student will be expected t return t schl. The student must return n the indicated date. Extra-Curricular Activity Absence Activity absence that is nt schl spnsred but is schl related such as cllege visits. Exceptinal Circumstances The principal may apprve a prearranged absence fr situatins in which an exemptin frm attendance appears t be in the best interests f the student and his/her family. August 2016 Page 4

5 Prir t the student s absence, the parent/guardian must reprt in writing the ratinale fr the absence, dates f absence, and siblings within the schl divisin fr whm the exceptin will als be requested. The principal must prvide the respnse in writing t the parent/guardian. In dcumented extenuating circumstances, the principal may apprve an absence after-the-fact as exempt frm the sanctins f the attendance plicy. Fr thse circumstances which cause the student t be absent and prir request fr apprval is nt pssible, the parent/guardian must request in writing within tw days f the student s return t schl. N mre than five (5) days may be apprved by the principal fr exceptinal circumstances during a schl year. Fr requests f mre than five (5) days, the request must be endrsed by the principal and apprved by the superintendent/designee. SCHOOL RELATED ACTIVITY: Schl Related Activity Absence Activity absence is any absence that is schl spnsred. Extra-curricular activities may include but are nt limited t field trips and athletic events. Absences beynd ten (10) in a schl year require prir administratr apprval. Tardy and Early Dismissal In supprt f the mandatry attendance law, Danbury Public Schls defines excused absences. The fllwing cnditins prvide the ONLY acceptable reasns fr a student s late arrival r early dismissal frm schl: Health Recgnized religius bservances Family emergency Late bus TARDY EXCUSED (TE) and EARLY DISMISSAL EXCUSED (EDE): The fllwing prcedures must be fllwed in rder t be excused: Late arrival Call the ffice prir t the student s arrival at schl t dcument the late arrival. When students arrive at schl they must g t the ffice fr a pass. The time f arrival will be dcumented. Early Dismissal Call the ffice prir t the student s departure. Student must g t the ffice fr dismissal. The time f dismissal will be dcumented. Written dcumentatin must be prvided in excess f 5 early dismissals. TARDY UNEXCUSED (TU) and EARLY DISMISSAL UNEXCUSED (EDU): All late arrivals and early dismissal reasns that d nt fit the excused criteria abve will be marked as unexcused. Excessive, mre than five (5), tardies r early dismissals and/r a pattern f late arrival r leaving early will necessitate parent/guardian cmmunicatin with the schl t supprt regular attendance. August 2016 Page 5

6 Make Up Wrk Make up wrk will nt be prvided ahead f time fr unexcused absences. Elementary Excused Absence f ne r tw days: Student may make up wrk upn return t schl. Excused Absence f three r mre days: Parent/guardian will call the ffice t request assignments. Teachers need 24 hurs t prepare assignments. Secndary Make Up Wrk: Students are encuraged t get make-up wrk assignments befre returning t schl. They may d this accrding t the fllwing prcedures: Excused Absences: Students have as many days t make up the missed assignments as they were absent. Please allw 24 hurs fr teachers t prepare assignments. When students are absent (this includes absences fr suspensin) an pprtunity t make up wrk will be prvided. Make-up wrk is encuraged s that students will prfit frm future instructin. It is the student s respnsibility t ask the teacher fr the make-up wrk. Wrk (including tests) missed due t an absence may be made up and credit given fr such wrk prvided that it is cmpleted in the same amunt f time that the student was absent. August 2016 Page 6