Mr. Prudden Update
Parents/Guardians,
As we head into the school year, there are several existing policies I would like to make the community aware of.
To understand our attendance policy, one must first know a few definitions:
Truant - a student who has unexcused absences for three consecutive school days, five total days in any semester, or seven total days in a year.
Excused absence – an absence that has been verified by a phone call from a parent/guardian. If the reason for an absence is an appointment, please give the school 24 hours advanced notice. If 24-hour notice is not given, the student cannot participate in extracurricular activities on the day of the absence if he or she arrives at school later in the day.
Unexcused absence – an absence that is not cleared through the office prior to an appointment or within 24 hours of the absence. This, of course, includes absences without the knowledge or consent of the parent/guardian.
Tardy – a student misses less than twenty minutes of a class.
A few notes:
After 8 excused absences during the school year, the school will require professional verification (doctor’s note, etc.).
If a student is missing school due to a religious event or funeral, a phone call from a parent will suffice.
College visit days: Juniors may take one day and Seniors may take two days to explore post-secondary options. All college visits are to be arranged by the student and the student is responsible for getting a college visitation form filled out. The form is available in the high school office, will be approved in the office before the student leaves, and must be validated at the institution the student is visiting. Juniors and seniors are allowed one extra day (2 for Jr’s. and 3 for Sr’s.) if they are accompanied by a parent/guardian on all days. College visit days do not count against a student’s attendance, but the student is expected to make up his or her work.
A student receiving an unexcused absence will be required to serve detention. This time will be used to make up work. The punishment could escalate if the unexcused absences continue.
Four tardies in one class results in a detention. For first hour, the detention will be the responsibility of the high school office. For second-through-eighth hours, the detention will be the responsibility of the teacher. Seniors will be given one absence for every four tardies, and this absence will count against their eligibility for senior trip.
A student must attend all eight periods of the school day to be able to: participate in an athletic contest, practice, any school function (banquets, dances, etc.), or other practices (including plays or musicals). In short, if a student misses more than twenty minutes of a school day, he or she cannot participate in extra-curricular activities unless the absence had prior verification (see 24-hour rule above).
Student absence from the regular classroom learning experience disrupts the continuity of the student's instructional progress. The benefits of regular classroom instruction include class discussions, teacher presentations, and student participation. Many of these benefits are lost during absences and cannot be entirely regained even by extra after-school instruction. Irregular school attendance can be the beginning of a pattern that may severely limit a child's lifelong potential. Many habits are formed in secondary school, so please work with us to ensure that habitual absenteeism does not become a problem for our students.
As with everything, I fully understand that extenuating circumstances may apply. The key is communication. If a student is going to be absent, let us know. If possible, please let us know 24-hours prior to the absence. If a student is ill in the morning, let us know as soon as possible. One of my goals this year is to keep excessive absenteeism down, and, with your help, I believe that is possible.