STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Grades 9-12

Regular school attendance is basic to much of the success students attain from their elementary, middle school and high school programs. The right and privilege of attending public school carries with it certain responsibilities of the part of both parents and students. Parents and students must recognize the direct relationship that exists between academic success and regular school attendance. Non attendance can result in academic failure. Therefore, students should be absent from school only when it is absolutely necessary. The education of every student is the joint responsibility of the home and the school, and only through cooperation can each student be assured of receiving all of the educational advantages available.

The benefits of lectures, discussion, and participation is lost forever to those who are absent. It must be emphasized that regular attendance is the key to much of the success a student may gain from the high school program. It is impossible to gain the full significance of any class presentation through make-up work; therefore, students, parents, teachers, and administrators must make every effort possible to ensure punctuality and regular school attendance.

The District recognizes the need for clearly stated policies and procedures relating to school attendance. Therefore, please read carefully the Flagstaff Unified School District Board approved attendance policy.

The school expects parent/guardians to call the attendance office before 9:00 on the day of the absence to notify the school as to the exact length of any absence. If a student is absent from school without prior notice and the parents do not notify the school of the student's absence, they will receive a phone call from the Phone Caller which is programmed each evening to call the home phone numbers of the students that were not excused that day. If you receive a call from the Phone Caller informing you that your student was marked truant for one or more periods, you may call the attendance office voice mail at 773-8211 or if you have access to email you may access the attendance office email account at chsattendance@fusd1.org and include the following information:

Student name

Student grade

Date of absence

Reason for absence

State law mandates that the school record reasons for all student absences. All absences not verified by parental or administrative authorization, the day of the absence, will remain unverified and make-up work will not be allowed. If the parent/guardian does not have access to a phone, either at home or work, a note will be accepted for verification purposes.

All personnel will solicit cooperation from parents in the matter of school attendance and punctuality, particularly in regard to the following:

The scheduling of medical and dental appointments after school hours as reasonably as possible

The scheduling of family vacations (non-school activities) during school vacation and recess periods.

The School may require an appointment card or a letter from a hospital/clinic or other reasonable documentation excusing a student upon reasonable suspension that the student's absence is unverified or parental documentation is not available.

In this regard, it is essential that parents/guardians be informed when enrolling students that current telephone numbers (including emergency numbers) must be on file in the appropriate school office, and that school officials be properly notified of any change in telephone numbers where the person or agency responsible for the student can be reached. (A.R.S. 15-807).

The school will maintain records of all student absences.

Attendance will be taken/reported for each class period. Each teacher will clearly define attendance and tardy policy expectations for his/her class and hold students to those expectations.

Absence:

An absence is a student’s nonattendance in the classroom during the assigned class period. Absences include, but may not be limited to:

Personal illness

Family emergency/death

Professional appointment

Prearranged family trips and approved petitions

Out-of school suspensions

Other verified absences

Verified religious holidays

School-excused activities. (The sponsors/students will be expected to inform all teachers in advance, and students will be expected to obtain assignments in advance).

Tardies

A tardy is defined as a student not being in his/her assigned class when the bell rings. The disposition of tardy infractions will be at the discretion of administration at the building level.

School Activity Absences:

District and A.I.A. regulated activity guidelines will be followed for all school activity absences. If such regulations do not apply to the activity, and the student is failing any class, the student may be precluded from participating in the activity. Participation in school activities on weekends is based on Friday attendance. A student must attend Friday classes to be eligible to participate in weekend activities.

School activity absences. If a teacher knows that it will be necessary for a student to be absent from school for a school activity, the teacher will obtain a school-activity absence form from the attendance office, list the students who will be absent, obtain an administrators signature, and give a copy to the attendance office at least 48 hours prior to the activity.

Teachers will turn in absences to the attendance office for a school activity, and will mark their grade books to show that the students were on a school activity. After the activity, it is the sponsor’s responsibility to advise the attendance office of any students that did not attend the activity, thereby allowing teachers to change their records from school activity to regular absence.

Truancy:

A truancy is the deliberate missing of one or more class periods without permission of a parent/guardian. Absences must be verified by parent/guardian by 9:00 a.m. the day of the absence. Unverified absences may be considered truancies, which may result in no make-up work for class assignments missed.

Enrollment/Transfers:

If a student transfers to another school in the District, the student’s attendance record will accompany the student to the new school.

A student who enrolls in school after the tenth (10) day in a semester without transfer grades will be placed in classes matching their academic abilities, in order to earn credit toward graduation.

Procedures for students/teachers/attendance officers:

Signing out and signing in: Departure from campus for any reason during school time shall require the student to sign out at the attendance office with parent/guardian/administrator permission only.

Petition for absence: If a student and the family find it necessary for the student to be absent from school because of a non-school activity, the parent/guardian must notify the administration two (2) days prior to the absence in order for the student to obtain a Petition To Be Absent form. The form must be filled out and signed by teachers and returned to the attendance office before leaving school. Parents will be advised if the student is not doing well in school, or if such absences can cause the student academic failure.

Teachers will make reasonable attempts to contact parents when a student has been absent. Contact will be made by telephone, progress report, or other written communication. Parents are encouraged to contact the attendance office to verify student attendance at any time.

In the case of chronic student absenteeism the teacher will work together with counselors and administrators to address the need of the student.

Class work for excused absences must be made up within time equal to the number of days absent.

Class work must be accepted for full credit for absences resulting from out-of-school suspensions. Students are responsible for work missed during their suspensions. Make-up work will be sent for within the first two days of suspension. Following their return, students will have one day for each day missed to turn in work missed.