attendance policy
Compulsory Attendance The attendance policy has been developed to promote an effective learning climate for students and the efficient use of teacher time and school resources. Only when students are present in their scheduled classes can the above goals be achieved. In addition, Illinois State statutes require that all students below the age of seventeen attend school regularly. The law places responsibility for regular attendance of students on the parent. Violations of the law are referred to the Truant Officer, Office of the Educational Service Region, Cook County. Students of District #215 are required to attend all scheduled class assignments, including study halls and lunch.
Should a student, seventeen years of age or over, be chronically absent, the student and parents will be asked to make a decision about the student’s choices of regular attendance, withdrawal from school, or administrative withdrawal. Students absent from school for more than TEN (10) consecutive school days may be administratively withdrawn.
A chronic or habitual truant shall be defined as a child subject to compulsory school attendance and who has been absent without valid cause from attendance for 10% OR MORE OF THE PREVIOUS 180 REGULAR ATTENDANCE DAYS.
DEFINITIONS
Absence:
Any day or period of non-attendance. It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to notify the school of absences on the day of the absence. School personnel will determine the status (excused/unexcused) of the absence. Reasons for absences are defined by the Illinois School Code as illness, religious observances, death in the family, or family emergency. The student is entitled to full make-up privileges for excused absence. The student must meet make-up deadlines established by the teacher. Approved school related activities are not considered absences.
Extended Illness:
Any student who is absent for five consecutive days must present a medical statement from a licensed physician. If the student will be absent for more than five days, the statement should indicate how long the illness is expected to last. Parents are to communicate with the SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER in cases of extended absence so that arrangements can be made for the student to continue studies at home.
Excessive Absences and Medical Documents:
Excessive is defined as more than 10 days per semester. The school administration may require excessively absent students to provide medical documentation indicating the nature of the illness and specific dates to be excused. Failure to provide medical documentation will cause the student to be considered truant. See “Truancy Consequences.”
Student will be placed on the appropriate step. (Step III, IV or V)
Truancy:
Truancy is any day or period of non-attendance which is determined by school personnel as unexcused. Students may not make up any work resulting from an unexcused absence.
Extenuating Circumstances:
Upon approval of the Assistant Principal for Pupil Personnel Services, instruction will be provided through homebound tutoring in cases of extended illness. Homebound tutoring will constitute continuous instruction.
Daily Absences
If a student is absent from school, his/her parent must call the school each day the student is absent. Calls are required no later than 2:30 p.m. on the day of the absence. If the school does not receive the call as required, the absence is considered unexcused. A 24-hour phone service is available at the following numbers: NORTH 585-1007 SOUTH 585-2040
Any student who decides to stay home AFTER the parent (or guardian) has left for work has the responsibility of contacting a parent/guardian to inform him that he/she is home so that the parent/ guardian can call before 2:30 P.M. on the day of the absence.
TARDY POLICY
Punctuality is a student responsibility. Failure to enter the classroom prior to the final ringing of the tardy bell will be recorded as a tardy, or as stipulated in writing by the teacher and signed by all students as classroom procedures.
The building administration may prohibit student admission to class when a student is tardy. Such a measure may be necessary either on a selected or continuing basis to ensure that tardiness does not disrupt the educational process.
Students detained by a teacher must obtain a pass from that teacher before attempting to be admitted to their next class. Students may not leave a class to which they are tardy in an attempt to solicit a pass.
Multiple tardies to any class will result in disciplinary action. The Deans’ Office, Nurse/Clinic, Guidance Office, and Bookstore do not issue excuses for tardies.
All tardies will be reported to the Deans’/Attendance office on the day of the tardy. Students accumulating multiple tardies, per class, per semester, will be counseled and/or disciplined at the indicated levels.
Tardy 1 Teacher/student conference
Teacher contacts parent/guardian
Tardy 2 Teacher contacts parent/guardian
Two (2) hour Wednesday detention
Tardy 3 Deans’ Office contacts parent/guardian
One (1) day ISS
Tardy 4 Deans’ Office contacts parent/guardian
One (1) day OSS OR removal from class with failing grade (subject to administrative approval)
A 15 minute or more tardy to first period or tardiness exceeding two minutes to all other periods will be considered an excessive tardy and a consequence of a two (2) hour detention will be assigned. Repeat offenses will result in progressive disciplinary action.
TRUANCY POLICY
Students are expected to remain in the building during their regularly scheduled school day. Under no circumstances are students to leave the building without the permission of the dean or school nurse. TO DO SO WILL BE TREATED AS TRUANCY. If a student becomes ill during the school day and receives permission from the nurse to go home, he or she will be given a pass from the nurse. This pass should be turned in to the Attendance Office before leaving school. Students will be released to the custody of their parents or guardians in the Attendance Office. If no parents or guardians are available, permission must be received from an assistant principal before the student is released.
Requests to leave school for other reasons must be verified by a telephone call from the parent/ guardian, and official, written verification that the appointment occurred e.g. doctor/dentist note, verification of court date or college visit. An excuse from school will be granted by the deans for only those matters that cannot be scheduled at any other time than during the school day.
Truancy is any day or period of non-attendance which is determined by school personnel as unexcused.
Single Period Truancy
The first single class truancy starts the student at Truancy Step 1. Each subsequent infraction moves the student to the next step. Students accumulating 6 unexcused absences to a single class period may be dropped from class for truancy with a failing grade and placed in a study hall (Subject to the approval of the principal).
Full Day Truancy
Full day truancy is defined as absence without excuse from three or more periods. A full day truancy will start on Truancy Step 2. Students accumulating 18 or more full day truancies per semester will be considered a chronic and habitual truant and may be asked to make a decision about withdrawal from school or administrative withdrawal.
Truancy Consequences
Truancy # 1 2 hour After School Detention (parent notification)
Truancy # 2 3 hour Saturday Detention (parent notification) Full Day truancy start
Truancy # 3 1 day ISS (parent notification)
Truancy # 4 2 days ISS (parent notification)
Truancy # 5 3 days OSS (parent conference)
Truancy # 6 Recommendation for removal from class with failing grade (subject to approval of principal/parent notification)
Any student removed from class for truancy or tardiness will be assigned to study hall and receive a failing grade. Failure to attend this study hall will result in a 5 day out-of-school suspension for the first offense and up to ten (10) days of out-of-school suspension for the second offense.
