ATTENDANCE
Attendance is important for success in school and on the job. It is nearly impossible for a student to succeed in middle/high school without maintaining regular attendance. Truancy is the major cause of failure and of students not successfully completing high school. Truancy is defined by Wis. Statue. #118.16 (c),which states, "Truancy means any absence of part or all of one or more days from school during which the school attendance officer (principal) has not been notified of the legal cause of such absence by the parent or guardian of the absent pupil." Truancy includes leaving school during the day without checking out through the 7-12 office, and missing all or part of a day or an individual class period without a legitimate excuse. Parents are notified of their child’s truancy by mail and/or telephone if possible. Consequences of habitual truancy may include a fine (of approximately $50) depending on the county, and may include driver’s license suspension. The consequence may be repeated several times during the school year if the problem with truancy continues.
ABSENCES (excused): Students may not be absent unexcused from school more than ten (10) days per school year.
1. Absences excused within 5 days per semester/ ten (10) day limit per year are:
a. An advance request by a parent/guardian for a reason they deem appropriate and which is approved by the principal, or
b. An illness verified by a parent/guardian.
2. Absences excused outside the ten (10) day limit per year are:
a. Illness or medical appointments excused by medical documentation
b. Court or legal procedure excused by legal documentation
c. Death or major illness in the immediate family
d. Long term illness excused by medical documentation or verified by the school, or any documented illness beyond the initial 10 days
e. Medical/dental examinations should try to be scheduled after school or during student study hall periods.
Note: The office will ask for a doctor's note to assist with documentation of reason for absence
Note: A school letter may be sent home to inform parents of the excused and/or unexcused absences.
3. Board of Education Policy #431 addresses student attendance and examples of excusable reasons for absences from school:
1. Illness of pupil. (number of days without a doctors excuse will be limited)
2. Serious illness of a member of the immediate family.
3. Wedding or death of family member.
4. Work at home (Emergency situations and prearranged by parents with the principal).
5. Family trip/vacation
6. Medical and dental appointments. (The school reserves the right to expect a doctor's verification).
7. A court appearance or other legal proceeding which requires the attendance of the student.
8. Only 4 (four) hours will be excused for getting driving permits or license(s). Students should plan ahead to make these appointments so that school time is not used.
ABSENCES (unexcused): Unexcused absences are defined as follows:
1. Any absence of part or all of one or more school days in which the school has not been properly notified of the legal cause of such absence by the parent or legal guardian,
2. Excessive “unexcused absences" beyond the 5/10-day limit per semester will be considered a "habitual truant,"
3. Any absence after which a student fails to provide a written excuse within two school days
4. Any out of school suspensions,
5. Skipping classes
6. Leave school grounds without authorization.
The Blair-Taylor School District provides busing for students. If students choose not to ride the bus, they accept the responsibility of being in school on time. Blair-Taylor will not accept the excuse of missing the bus or ride or oversleeping. Blair-Taylor allows for one excused car problem annually.
Here is a short list of definitely unexcused absences:
1. Hair appointments.
2. Shopping with parents or anyone else.
3. Picking up prom dress/tux or getting ready for prom or homecoming.
4. Working at any job that is not connected with a family farm.
5. Overslept or late due to car trouble.
6. Pick up graduation pictures. (Pictures taken should be done during the summer)
7. Baby-sitting (exceptions can be made in an emergency situation with immediate family and approval by the principal).
ABSENCE (student procedure):
1. Upon returning to school after an absence, students are required to report to the office before 7:55 a.m. with a written explanation of the absence from their parents or guardians, unless the absence has received prior approval or notification. Students must allow sufficient time to receive the admit slip and still report to class on time. Students, who fail to provide a written excuse from a parent/guardian upon returning to school, will be given an admittance slip. The absence will be recorded as unexcused. A student will have 24 hours after returning to school to bring in an excuse and have the unexcused absence changed to an excused absence. After 24 hours, the absence will remain unexcused.
2. Students with excused absences are required and responsible for making up the missed work within the allotted time.
3. Students with unexcused absences are required to make up all missed work. Teachers may assign additional work to compensate for the loss of class time, or may require the student to make up work after school. All major exams will be allowed to be made up. Teachers may require that exams be made up after school.
ABSENCES (school reporting):
1. When a student has excused and/or unexcused absences beyond the 10-day limit per year, an attendance notification letter will be sent to the parent or guardian.
2. Students excused for illness more than 10 days beyond the absences excused outside the (10 day limit per year) will receive a note home explaining that a doctor’s note will be needed to be excused.
3. Continued unexcused absences will begin the truancy process, and a notification letter will be sent home.
4. Report truancy to Trempealeau County.
5. Parents or guardians should be aware that if the district attorney finds the student truant, fines can be assessed to the parent or guardian with other possible student sanctions.
Remember….all students leaving the building during school hours must receive office permission to sign out to be excused. This includes ill students leaving during the day. The office will contact the parent or the individual designated on the emergency card before an ill student may leave school. If the student leaves the building without following this procedures it may be considered unexcused.
NOTE for High School Students: Section IV of the Athletic Codes States: “A student must attend classes the entire day in order to participate in an athletic game or contest in that day. Absences excused in advance by the Principal or Athletic Director will be accepted. A student may not participate in practice or a game if he/she was absent from class because of illness for any portion of that day. Student may be considered unexcused if over 15 minutes late to class.
In case of detention a student, who does not serve his or her detention within the 24 hour timeline or the timeline designated by the teacher, will be sent to the ALC until served. Students sent to the ALC will be considered unexcused and will not be allowed to practice or participate in an athletic game or contest in that day.
|