• Elementary School Attendance

    • Students are required to bring written documentation for absences within 5 days from the day they return from an absence. Parents who anticipate a student’s absence of more than five (5) consecutive days should immediately apply for Homebound instruction.
    • The principal shall approve or disapprove absences in excess of 10 days. A medical note or other documentation will be required after a student accumulates 10 absences in order to assist the principal in making that decision.
    • Absences with no documentation are automatically considered unlawful.
    • Students who accumulate three consecutive unlawful absences or five total unlawful absences will be considered truant. Parents/guardians and students (12 years and older) will be contacted to develop a written Attendance Intervention Plan. Failure to participate and/or adhere to the plan will result in a referral to the District Attendance office and/or Family Court

    Lawful Absences

    Unlawful Absences

    Truancy

    Illness- attendance at the school would endanger the student’s health or the health of others

    Willfully absent from school without the knowledge of his/her parents

    Truant: A child, ages 5 to 17- three consecutive unlawful absences or a total of five unlawful absences

    Death in the student’s immediate family- 3 absences per occurrence.

    Absent without an acceptable reason with the knowledge of his/her parents

    Habitual Truant: A child, ages 12-17- two or more additional unlawful absences after an intervention plan has been developed

    Serious illness in the student’s immediate family- not to exceed three per year

    Absent and fails to turn in an acceptable note within 5 days of the student’s return from an illness

    Chronic Truant: A child, ages 12-17, who is habitual truant, referred to Family Court, school attendance order, and accumulates additional absences

    Recognized religious holiday of the student’s faith

    Accumulates more than 10 absences and a medical note is not received

     

    Emergencies and/or extreme hardship at the discretion of the principal

     

     

     

    Tardiness

    Unexcused/Unlawful tardies are considered a violation of the SCAL (Compulsory School Attendance Law) in that instruction time is missed. Unexcused tardies will be addressed in an Attendance Intervention Plan and may result in a referral to the District Attendance office and/or Family Court.

    Lawful Tardies

    Unlawful Tardies

    In order for a tardy to be excused written documentation must be provided.

    Three written parent excuses for any reason or combination of reasons will be accepted per semester. Any additional excuses must be official written medical excuses or will be considered unlawful

    Illness on part of the student with medical excuse

    Illness on part of student without medical excuse

    Emergency and/or hardship at discretion of principal

    Oversleeping, traffic, carpool trouble or other personal reasons

    Doctor or dental appointments

    Missed bus

    Late bus arrival

    Car trouble

    Teacher, guidance or Administrator appointment

     

     

     

    To support the goal of the Compulsory School Attendance Law and decrease a possible referral to the District Attendance Office and/or Family Court schools may implement the following actions:

     

    Tardies

    Actions

    1-3

    Verbal and/or written warning by school personnel (Level 1)

    4-6

    Verbal and written offer to connect parent with support services (Level 2)

    7-9

    Verbal and written letter for an Unlawful Tardy Intervention Plan (School Level) (Level 3)

    10-15

    Verbal and written letter for an Unlawful Tardy Intervention Plan (School Level) (Level 4)
    • All referrals to District Attendance Office will be dependent upon the amount of lost instructional time

    Make-up Work: Teachers will permit students to make up work missed during an absence as long as the student/parent makes appropriate arrangements with the teacher no later than the student’s fifth day back at school. Missed assignments must be requested first thing in the morning to allow sufficient time to have the assignments to the office by 2:30 p.m. Assignments may be picked up from the office between 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. unless other arrangements are made with the teacher.

    Homebound Instruction: Parents who anticipate a student’s absence for more than five consecutive days due to an extended health problem should apply immediately for homebound instruction by calling the school attendance office. A student on homebound instructions is not counted absent.

    Field Trips: Students may be permitted to miss class to participate in approved field trips.

    Suspension: In-school suspension will not count as an absence. Out-of-school suspension will count as a lawful absence.

    Routine Scheduled Visits for Dental/Medical/Mental Health: Students who require routine periodic visits to their orthodontist, dentist, physician, mental health specialist, health department specialist and other health-related professionals should schedule their appointments at times other than instructional periods. If such visits are required during the school day, it is best to schedule them at varying times so as not to miss the same class each time. Lawful absences for these purposes are not to exceed five during the school year.

    Late buses: Students who are late to class or school due to a tardy arrival of school buses will not be counted absent or tardy.

    Court Appearances: Student absences resulting from required court appearances will be considered lawful

    Other absence/tardy information: Students traveling or attending events that the principal has approved in advance as an educational experience will be considered lawful. Other emergencies and/or hardship absence/tardy will be handled at the discretion of the principal. Other lawful and unlawful absences are explained in District Policy, Administrative Rule JH-R.

    Transfering your student to another school: If you are planning to move your child from OWES to another school or area, please give the attendance office advance notice. Transfer forms must be prepared and completed by the office staff and teachers. Notice of at least 24 hours would be much appreciated as it takes time to complete the withdrawal process. All text books and library books belonging to OWES must be returned upon withdrawal.