Attendance+Policy

//(from Student Parent Handbook, Fall 2011)//

Regular and punctual student attendance is required. The Board's policies require such attendance, the administration is responsible for developing further attendance rules and regulations, and students and parents are responsible for developing behaviors which will result in regular and punctual student attendance.

Absences From School - Definitions. An absence from school will be reported as: (a) an excused absence or (b) an unexcused absence.
 * Attendance and Absences**

1. __Excused Absences.__ Absences should be cleared through the Principal's office in advance whenever possible. An absence or tardy, even by parental approval, may not be excused. All absences, except for illness and/or death in the family, require advance approval. An absence for any of the following reasons will be excused, provided the required procedures have been followed:

(A) Attendance at a funeral for a member of the immediate family (parents, siblings, and grandparents), (B) Illness which causes a student to be absent from school, (C) Doctor or dental appointment which require student to be absent from school. (D) Court appearances that are required by a court order and the student is not responsible for needing to be in court, (E) School sponsored activities which require students to be absent from school. (F) Family trips in which student accompanies parent(s)/legal guardian(s), (G) Other absences which have received prior approval from the Principal.

The Principal has the discretion to deny approval for the latter two reasons, depending on circumstances such as the student's number of other absences, the student's academic status, the tests or other projects which may be missed, and in the case of a family trip, whether the trip could be taken during non-school time and the educational nature of the trip. [Eight days per semester for minor illness, parent request, dental appointments, brandings, etc. will be allowed. After the sixth absence, the Principal will notify the parent in writing. After eight days, makeup time is required. If makeup time is not made up, no class credit will be given for that semester in grades 7-12. In grades K-6, the Principal will notify the parents in writing after the sixth absence. Upon the eighth absence, a conference will be scheduled between the parents, Principal, and the teacher.]

2. __Unexcused Absences__: An absence which is not excused is unexcused. If a student's absence is unexcused the student may receive zeros for any class work missed during the absence, and may be required to make-up work and the time missed. A student who engages in unexcused absences may be considered truant as per state law, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 79-201. Truancy is a violation of school rules. The consequence of such action may include suspension from classes and the student may be required to make up the time missed. Students who leave the school premises without permission during the school day will be considered truant.

__Absence Procedure.__ A student will not be allowed to enter class after an absence until an admit slip, (white slip), based upon a written or verbal parental excuse, or a conditional admit slip, is issue by the Principal's office. A conditional admit slip, good for two days, may be issued to allow time to bring an excuse, in case no excuse has been provided upon returning to school. Work must be made up within the time allowed on the admit slip. Students missing classes for school activities must present a completed activities dismissal slip to the sponsor before being allowed to leave for the activity. For excused absences, two school days will be allowed to make up the work for each day missed with a maximum of ten (10) days allowed to make up work. If requested, assignment sheets will be prepared for students who are ill. If parents and/or students request assignment sheets the school should be contacted by no later than 11:00 a.m.

In case of any absence not prearranged, parents are to notify the school attendance center before 8:30 a.m. each day. Upon request, make-up assignments and materials for excused absences will be gathered and made available for pickup or possibly sent home. Students shall be granted two (2) school days to make up for each day of an excused absence. In case of prearranged absence, the student will present a written note from his/her parent explaining the need to make up the work in advance. Such notification shall be far enough in advance to allow assignments to be completed and handed in before the absence occurs. If a student is absent and not excused by the above procedures, a zero will be given for all work missed.
 * Procedure In Case of Absence**

Definitions: Truant Officer--any member of the Cherry County Sheriff‘s Department
 * Truant Student Procedure**

1. __First occurrence.__ The administrator will send a letter to the parents indicating the need for parents to notify the school when a child is absent. A copy of this procedure will be included in the letter. All missed schoolwork will be completed and initialed by parents no later than 2 days after incident.

2. __Second occurrence.__ The administrator will meet with the student and parents/guardians to find solutions to the problem. A copy of these procedures will be given to the parent. All missed schoolwork will be completed before or after school or as agreed upon in the meeting.

3. __Third occurrence.__ The administrator, student, parents, teacher and/or counselor will meet to discuss why the solution for the second offense has not worked and will seek an alternate solution. A copy of all meeting notes and other pertinent information will be forwarded to the Superintendent of Schools.

4. __Fourth occurrence.__ The Superintendent will be notified and he will contact the Sheriff‘s Department, Social Services and County Attorney. The Sheriff will visit the home. He will explain what will happen after the next truant report and give the parents a letter from the Superintendent explaining the Compulsory Education Law 79-201 to 79-211 and what the procedure will be for the next offense.

5. __Fifth occurrence.__ Superintendent will be notified who will in turn notify the Sheriff‘s Department, Social Services and County Attorney. The Sheriff may issue a citation for a Class lll Misdemeanor. (79-201). If a citation is issued the County Attorney may suspend the citation if a pretrial diversion plan involving counseling and/or parenting classes is agreed upon and carried out.

6. __Sixth occurrence.__ (Same procedures for fifth offense). Every effort will be made to contact the parents, meet with them either in their home or at school, and to work with the parents to correct a truancy problem. Where contact cannot be made or parent responsibility becomes a problem, documentation will be made as to the effort made by the school for all occurrences.

__Tardy to School__: will be dealt with in the office. IN FIRST HOUR: students will not be admitted to class if they are tardy and have not first visited the office. They will be given an admit slip to class. Students will be considered tardy to school if they are not seated in their assigned area when the bell for their first class rings. After the third tardy, students will need to serve 60 minutes of retraining time.
 * Tardiness**

__Tardy to Class__: will be dealt with by each teacher. Students will be considered tardy to class if they are not in the classroom when they tardy bell rings, unless they have a pass from the teacher who detained them. Specific tardy guidelines once students are in the classroom doorway are at the discretion of the classroom teacher. Students have a sufficient time period between all class changes to make it to their next assigned class on time. After the third tardy, students will need to serve retraining time. Teachers are to keep track of students‘ tardies to class. Students will serve a 20 minute retraining for any tardy over and above the 3. Students will be precluded from participation in activities if retraining time is not served.

No student is to participate in or be in attendance at any extra curricular activity under the following circumstances:
 * Attendance and Extra-Curricular Activities**

1. He/she went home during the day due to illness. 2. He/she missed any part of the school day except for prearranged excused absences. 3. Students must be in attendance on Friday to participate on Saturday except for prearranged excused absences. 4. Students must be in attendance the next day after the activity unless they have a certificate from a doctor or administrative approval. 5. Students who will miss school because of school sponsored activities must have their work made up in advance or they will not be allowed to attend the activity