ABSENCESAbsences due to travel - if a student is traveling for vacation during the school year, it may be considered an unexcused absence. However, if a student is traveling for a funeral, medical reasons, or has to take time off due to a COVID-quarantine, that would constitute an excused absence. Medical notes must be given on the first day the doctor lists as the excused date.
Any student who is absent is required to present to the homeroom teacher a written excuse signed by a parent/guardian stating the reason for the absence. We need to know the reason for an absence on the day the child is absent. Doctor notes should be given to the school and/or office on the day it is issued by the doctor. These excuses shall be kept on file until the end of the school year. Any prolonged absence without prior notification to the school, exceeding 3 days requires a written note to be put in the student file. If a child is absent at the end of the trimester and it is not possible to make up the work because grades have closed, any concessions will be at the discretion of the teacher. Parents should talk to the teacher to discuss options.
If a student has had any contagious or communicable disease, a note from a doctor or health department must be presented before the student is re-admitted to class. If a doctor note is presented after the prolonged sickness, this note will allow the child to return to school.
If a student of grades K-8 has been absent or WILL BE absent for a number of days, a parent/guardian needs to clear this in writing with the principal and give teachers adequate time to prepare assignments before the absence, not after the child has returned. This makes it hard for the school to allow the child to make up work missed. These absences should be kept to a minimum since the student misses the instruction that precedes the assignments. Additional work may be required upon the student’s return. Parents and students are responsible for asking teachers for all missed work and working with the teacher to complete all makeup work and tests missed in a timely manner. For every day a child is absent, they have one day to make up the work if it is an excused absence. If this happens at the end of the trimester, the parents must meet with the teacher to discuss fair options. Prolonged unexcused absences can result in a low Work Habits grade, which affects the Citizenship award. Students must earn and O or A in Work Habits and and O or A in Behavior to earn the trimester Citizenship award.
Excused absences include illness, medical or dental appointments, funeral services for family members, quarantine directed by city or county officials, or emergencies or special circumstances, as determined by the school administration.
If a student is habitually truant and parents cannot be reached by email or phone, this could affect the student’s academic standing and promotion to the next grade level. This could also signal law enforcement and trigger a call to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS).
Schools may establish their own policy for determining what constitutes excused and unexcused absences. Excessive unexcused absences may result in the loss of academic credit.
