Defiance City School District
Administrative Guidelines
 

5200 - ATTENDANCE

The Board of Education requires all students enrolled in the schools of this District to attend school regularly in accordance with the laws of the State. The District's educational program is predicated upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. The regular contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in a well-planned instructional activity under the tutelage of a competent teacher are vital to this purpose.

Excusable Reasons for Absence

The District accepts only the following as reasonable excuses for time missed at school. Each absence shall be explained in writing and signed by the student's parents. The excuse shall be submitted to the principal and filed as part of the student's school record.

A written excuse for absence from school may be approved for one (1) or more of the following reasons or conditions:

 A.Illness in the Family Necessitating the Presence of the Child
  The principal may require a doctor’s confirmation and an explanation as to why the child’s absence was necessary.
 B.Death in the Family
  This is limited to a period of three (3) days unless a reasonable cause may be shown for a longer absence.
 C.Emergency or Other Set of Circumstances
  The Superintendent shall determine whether the reason for the absence constitutes good and sufficient cause.
 D.Service as Precinct Officer at a Primary, Special or General Election
  Students selected as precinct officials through the program set forth in Policy 5725 shall be excused from school on the day of an election at which the student serves as a precinct official.

Student Vacations During the School Year

Students are permitted to go on vacation during the school year without penalty (except the week ending each semester). The purpose of this administrative guideline is to accommodate parents who must take their vacations during the school year and the desire to enjoy that time as a family.

Whenever a proposed absence-for-vacation is requested, parents must discuss it with the principal. The length of absence should be made clear, and those involved should have an opportunity to express their views on the potential effects of the absence.

The District will only approve a student's absence for a vacation when s/he will be in the company of his/her own parent but not other students' parents, or his/her own parent or other family relatives but not other students' parents, unless there are extenuating circumstances deemed appropriate by the principal.

The student may be given approximate assignments and materials and pages to be completed.

The student will be expected to complete material assigned during their absence.

Truancy

A student shall be considered truant each day s/he is inexcusably absent from his/her assigned location.

Truancy demonstrates a deliberate disregard for the educational program and is considered a serious matter for which administrative action will be taken as follows:

 A.No credit will be recorded for work missed as result of truancy.
 B.A record of the truancy will be entered in the student's record file.
 C.A parent conference may be held.

The disciplining of truant students shall be in accord with Board policies and due process (as defined in Policy 5611) and the Student Code of Conduct.

A student will be considered "habitually truant" under state law if the student is absent without a legitimate excuse for five (5) or more consecutive school days, for seven (7) or more school days in one (1) month, or twelve (12) or more school days in one (1) school year.

A student will be considered "chronically truant" under state law if the student is absent without a legitimate excuse for seven (7) or more consecutive school days, for ten (10) or more school days in one (1) month, or fifteen (15) or more school days in one (1) school year.

If a student is "habitually truant" or "chronically truant" and the student’s parent(s), guardian(s), or custodian(s) has failed to cause the student’s attendance, a complaint shall be filed with the Judge of the Juvenile Court. The principal may also take any of the following intervention actions:

 A.assign the student to a truancy intervention program
 B.provide counseling to the student
 C.notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles of the student’s absences
 D.take appropriate legal action
 E.assignment to an alternative school (Note: If the District has established an alternative school, it must appear as an alternative intervention strategy.)

A student will be considered "habitually absent" under state law when s/he has accumulated during a semester or term ten (10) consecutive school days or fifteen (15) total school days of absence without legitimate excuses. The principal shall inform the student and his/her parent(s), guardian(s), or custodian(s) of the record of excessive absences as well as of the District’s intent to notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, if appropriate, and the Judge of the Juvenile Court of the student’s excessive absences.

When a student has been truant for five (5) days a warning letter is sent to the parent. They are to be notified that they may appear in the principal's office at a scheduled date and time.. At ten (10) days of truancy, charges will be filed with the juvenile court.

Encouraging Attendance

Promoting and fostering desired student attendance habits requires a commitment from the administration, faculty, and parents. No single individual or group can - in and of itself - successfully accomplish this task.

A professional staff member's responsibility must include, but not be limited to:

 A.providing meaningful learning experiences every day;
  Therefore, a student who is absent from any given class period would be missing a significant component of the course.
 B.speaking frequently of the importance of students being in class, on time, ready to participate;
 C.keeping accurate attendance records (excused vs. unexcused);
 D.incorporating defined, daily participation as part of the teaching/learning process and each grading period (See AG 2220).

Students Leaving School During School Day

No staff member shall permit or cause any student to leave school prior to the regular hour of dismissal except with the knowledge and approval of the principal and with the knowledge and approval of the student's parents.

Make-Up Opportunities

A student may make-up units of study with a properly licensed teacher if prior approval has been granted by the principal.

 A.Students will be given the opportunity for making up work missed due to approved absences. The length of time for completion of make-up work shall be commensurate with the length of the absence plus one (1) day.
 B.Students will be given the opportunity to make-up work missed due to suspension. Students will not receive credit for work missed due to suspension. Tests missed during the period of suspension may be made up by the students by contacting the teacher on the day of his/her return to school. The teacher, at his/her convenience, may administer the test or assign alternate written work in lieu of the test missed.
 C.A student wishing to make-up work should contact the homework hotline or the principal to obtain assignments.

Tardiness
 A.Students not in homeroom or in class when the late bell rings are considered tardy.
 B.Students who are tardy later than one and one-half (1 ½) hours will be considered one-half (1/2) day absent.
 C.All students who are tardy to school must report to the principal's office to sign in.
 D.When a teacher detains a student after class, s/he shall issue a late pass for the student's next class.
 E.Teachers are to refer cases of chronic tardiness to the principal.

Revised 3/01
Revised 3/14/07
Revised 4/16/08