5200.01 - ATTENDANCE - HIGH SCHOOL

Shelbyville Central School Corporation

Bylaws & Policies

5200.01 - ATTENDANCE - HIGH SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE MISSION STATEMENT

Daily attendance and promptness are essential work skills for the success of our students, both in and out of school. Shelbyville High School, therefore, expects daily attendance from all students. Parents/guardians and students must assume the responsibility of maintaining good attendance.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Student absences must not exceed ten (10) absences per semester per class. All absences other than those listed on "Not Counted" will count toward the ten (10) day limit with the following exceptions:

	A.	Extended Illness: (Illness of more than three (3) consecutive school days.) The first three (3) days of the illness will count toward the limit. An extended illness must be documented by a physician's written statement indicating that the student was unable to attend school due to a given illness. Said statement must be supplied by the student or the student's parent or guardian within forty-eight (48) hours of his/her return to school. Failure to produce the physician's statement in the required amount of time will result in all of the days missed counting toward the ten (10) day limit.
	B.	Out-of-School Suspension.
	C.	In-School Suspension.
	D.	Expulsion.

CONSEQUENCES

	A.	A notification letter will be sent by the attendance office to the parent/guardian on the fifth absence in any class during a semester.
	B.	On the seventh absence in any class during a semester, a conference will be scheduled with the student, parent/guardian, and assistant principal(s).
	C.	On the eleventh absence from any class during a semester, the student will receive a grade of W (Withdrawn) with no credit given in that class. In addition, the student will be removed from any class in which s/he has been absent eleven (11) days and placed in a study hall.
	D.	If due to excessive absences (eleven (11) times per semester), a student is carrying less than five (5) classes for credit, expulsion from school will be recommended.
	E.	Study hall is not a class for these purposes.
	F.	Vocational classes at Blue River Career Programs are considered to be three (3) classes.

Absence from school will be either excused or unexcused.

The following are defined as EXCUSED ABSENCES and are not counted toward, the ten (10) day limit:

	A.	Authorized school-sponsored activities.
	B.	Death in the immediate family. Immediate family is defined as: parent, guardian, grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, child, mother-in-law, father-in-law, or any other relative, who at the time of death, was living in the household. Students are allowed five (5) school days without them counting toward the ten (10) day limit. Any additional days will count toward the ten (10) day limit.
	C.	Religious observation (documented by clergy).
	D.	Two (2) college/university visitation days per year. Only juniors and seniors are eligible for these days.
	E.	Serving as a Page for the Indiana General Assembly.
	F.	Being subpoenaed to appear in court as a witness, or as a defendant in a criminal action or a juvenile delinquency proceeding.
	G.	Serving on the precinct election board or as a helper to a city, special, or primary election.
	H.	Ordered to duty with the Indiana National Guard.

The following are EXCUSED ABSENCES that do count toward the ten (10) day limit:

	A.	Personal illness.
	B.	Parent-requested funeral attendance for other than an individual classified as immediate family. (Parent is required to pick up the student at school and sign him/her out.)
	C.	Medical or dental appointments. Written statement from a doctor or dentist must be presented to the school upon the student's return. No parental statements will be accepted in place of a doctor's written statement.
	D.	Emergency situation.
	E.	Family vacation.
	F.	All pre-arranged absences not included in "not counted".

The following are defined as unexcused absences:

	A.	Truancy: All absences from school without parental knowledge or consent and without parental contact with school of such absence. A student will be considered truant if s/he is absent from a class for fifteen (15) minutes or more with no excuse (i.e. pass).
	B.	Out-of-school suspension.
	C.	In-school suspension (suspension by a teacher from a specific class approved by a principal).
	D.	Any absence for a reason not included in the list of excused absences.
	E.	Five (5) unexcused tardies to any one (1) class will result in one (1) absence being credited to the student from that class.

MAKE-UP WORK

	A.	Work missed due to an excused absence shall be made up and receive credit toward the student's grade.
	B.	Work missed due to an unexcused absence may be made up but will not be credited toward the student's grade.
	C.	Projects and/or assignments assigned two (2) weeks or more in advance must be turned in on the day scheduled or arrangements must be made, no later than due date, with the teacher. In the case of illness, the parent/guardian must contact the teacher for arrangement on date the assignment is due.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR PARTICIPATION

Students must be in class the last four (4) periods of a school day to be allowed to participate in extra-curricular activities that same day. Emergencies will be handled on an individual basis.

PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS

	A.	When a student must be absent from school, the parent/guardian must call the Attendance Office at Shelbyville High School at 398-9731, Extension 1 and verify the absence by 9:00 a.m. on the day of absence. Attempts shall be made by the school to contact the parent/guardian if no call has been received by 9:00 a.m.
	B.	Parents who have no phone shall communicate by a handwritten note, which must accompany the student upon returning to school.
	C.	Students have two (2) days upon returning to school to change an unexcused absence to an excused absence with parental notification.
	D.	When students are tardy to school they shall report to the attendance office secretary in the main office for a pass.
	E.	Students tardy to a class (other than 1st hour) shall report directly to their assigned class as usual. The teacher shall monitor student tardiness to the class.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

	A.	Every effort should be made to schedule medical, dental, or other such appointments outside the regular school day. Such appointments which result in an absence for one (1) or more periods will count toward the ten (10) day limit.
	B.	Families should plan their vacations at times when school is not in session to avoid student absences. School days missed because of vacations will count toward the ten (10) day limit.

Adopted 7/8/97