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JED STUDENT ABSENCES Regular
and punctual patterns of attendance will be required of each student enrolled
in the district. It is
recognized that absences from school may be necessary under certain
conditions. However, every effort
should be made by students, parents, teachers, and administrators to keep
absences and tardiness to a minimum. Student
attendance at school is basically the responsibility of the parents and
student. In order for the parents to
fulfill their responsibility the school must keep them informed of student
absences. If a student misses more
than four school days per quarter, a plan to improve the student’s attendance
will be developed in consultation with the parent. An
adequate and comprehensive system of attendance records will be maintained
for each student. Each teacher is
responsible for accurate reporting of daily attendance in his/her classroom.
The building principal is responsible for submitting attendance information
to the Superintendent's office. The Board
recognizes two kinds of absence: excused absence, and truancy. Excused
absence is absence because of illness, death in the student’s immediate
family, participation in school activities, or other approved reason that has
been verified with a written note from a physician or other qualified health
professional who is treating the student, from a
school official or a parent. Students
are not excused from any academic requirements for grading, regardless of the
reason for the absence, except for reasonable modifications as required in an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) pursuant to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973. Any
absence other than an excused absence is considered truancy. A student
who skips or leaves a class without permission after reporting to school is
truant. Any student who is absent from
school without the knowledge and permission of his/her parents and/or school
authorities is truant. Absences, even
with the approval of the parents, which are excessive and/or which interfere
with the student's educational program will be interpreted as truancy and
follow-up legal procedures will be instituted. See In
addition, excessive excused absences from class will be dealt with by
individual teachers and may result in lowering of the student's grade or
failure in the class if course requirements have not been met. Assignment of lower grades because of
excessive absences and/or truancy shall occur on the basis of grading terms
as outlined below: When a student has been absent
from a class more than four days per quarter, an intervention team will
contact the parent and student to develop a plan to improve the student’s
attendance. When a student has been absent
from a class more than four days per quarter, an intervention team will
contact the parent and student to develop a plan to improve the student’s
attendance. When a student has been absent)
from a class more than four days per quarter, that student will receive an
incomplete, or the actual grade earned, if lower, for the term. A student may make up excessive absences
based on attending afterschool tutoring.
The plan for making up excessive absences will be developed with the
parent and student and approved by the Principal. If the required work is not
completed in 10 school days, the grade becomes an administrative failure. Rochester Elementary Schools When a student has been absent
from a class more than four days per quarter that student will receive an incomplete
in all subject areas, or the actual grade earned, if lower, for the
quarter. The student will need to
attend after school tutoring or additional activities to have the incomplete
changed on their report card. A team will develop an intervention plan to
improve the student attendance for any student with excessive absences. If
the required work is not completed in 10 school days, the grade becomes an
administrative failure. When
an elementary student has been absent from school for more than four days
during a term, a team, including educators and parents, will be formed to
develop a plan to ensure improved attendance and to design required academic
support strategies. These strategies may include completion of missed
assignments and/or participation in compensatory instruction, possibly during
non-school hours. Failure to satisfy the conditions of the support
plan may result in an incomplete grade or in either academic or
administrative failure for the term. Habitually Truant NHRSA
193:16 empowers the Rochester School Department to define habitually truant
as: a child that misses 10 half days of school. Excused Absences: 1.
Illness or injury requiring a
doctor’s visit or consultation.
(Official documentation from a doctor is needed upon return to
school.) 2.
Legal matters, death of relative
or friend, religious holidays, and college visitations must be verified by
official documentation. 3.
School sponsored field
trips/athletic events must be verified by the staff member in charge of the
event. 4.
Family vacations at the Elementary
School and Middle School must be submitted two weeks in advance of the trip
and students must be in good academic standing. Students at the 5.
High School student absences can
only be excused at the discretion of a High School administrator and are not
recommended because of Block Scheduling concerns. 6.
All suspension days will be considered as
excused absences at Dismissals: 1.
The only grounds for dismissal are
medical, funeral, approved work coop or senior privilege at 2.
Parents/guardians are strongly
urged to schedule medical/therapeutic appointments outside of the school day. 3.
If a student is dismissed for more
than one hour of class time at the Middle School and Elementary School level he/she is considered absent for one
half of a day. 4.
If the school nurse at the High
School and Middle School, and the school nurse or building principal at the
elementary school dismisses a student for illness, it is considered an
excused absence. If, in the opinion of
the school nurse or building principal, the cause of the student’s dismissal
and subsequent absence justifies multiple days of absence, no additional note
from a physician, parent or other professional will be required. Adopted: April 8, 1993 Amended: August 12, 1999 Amended: August
14, 2008 Amended: October 14, 2010 |