2005-2006
ATTENDANCE POLICY OF
THE
Introduction The
Wilson County Board of Education believes that attendance
is a key factor in student achievement. The Board encourages every positive and innovative
means that will contribute to students' regular attendance,
recognizing that school personnel, parents, the community,
and the students themselves share in the responsibility.
Students are expected to be present and punctual
each day that school is in session.
Also, under the federal guidelines of "No Child
Left Behind" attendance is considered a key accountability
factor. Perfect Attendance Perfect
attendance means a child is present every day school
is in session during the school year. The child must be present for each class; therefore,
a child cannot have any tardies or early dismissals
to have perfect attendance.
A certificate of perfect attendance will be presented
at the end of the school year. Excused Absences* Written
documentation supporting reasons for absences must be
submitted to school level principals within three (3)
school days. Even though a parent may phone the school, a
written notice must also be sent to the school.
Written documentation shall include the reason
for absence, date, parent signature, and phone number.
After that time period has elapsed, the absences
will become permanently unexcused. *The student is excused for the day or days of absences,
not the material covered in his/her classes. Therefore, it is the student's responsibility,
and not the teacher's, for make-up work in all subject
matter covered during his/her absence.
1.
Personal Illness -
A doctor's note is accepted anytime a student is sick. The school may accept a written note from a
parent or guardian verifying a student's illness (without
a doctor's visit) for up to a total of five (5) accumulated
days during the semester. The school principal, with proper notice and
documentation, is allowed to make exceptions for students
with childhood diseases, chronic health problems, or
special needs and circumstances. If
an illness or hospitalization is to exceed ten (10)
consecutive days, the parent or guardian should apply
for homebound instruction after the first five (5) days
of consecutive absences. *Head
lice - up to three (3) days may be excused per infestation.
2.
Illness of immediate family
members - Parents or guardians should contact the principal before
the absence when possible, to arrange a suitable time of absence
as determined by the emergency circumstances.
The principal may require written verification.
3.
Death
a.
In the family - One
(1) day will be excused.
Additional days will be at the discretion of
the principal.
b.
Of others - The principal
may approve as an excused absence with appropriate documentation.
4.
Special recognized
religious holidays regularly observed by a particular
faith - A parent's note must be submitted to the school
principal prior to the student being absent for a religious
holiday.
5.
Required court appearance
- A student may be excused for required court appearance
that is not related to truancy or the student's misdeeds.
Verification from authorities must be provided. Final decision determined by the principal of
each school.
6.
Approved school-related
activities that are school-sponsored or school-endorsed. (Prior approval is required.)
7.
Unscheduled disasters
- Example: destruction
of a home, flood, or tornado.
8.
Principal Discretion
- Circumstances, with appropriate documentation, which,
in the judgment of the principal, constitutes a good
and sufficient cause of absences from school.
Maximum of three (3) days allowed per year. Unexcused Absences
1.
Students who are absent
for reasons not covered in the provisions as described
under "Excused Absences" are considered "unexcused."
While daily class work may not be made up for
a grade, the student may make up a test upon request.
The request must be made on the day of return
from the absence. A grade of no higher than 84 (C) shall be used
for credit purposes on an unexcused make-up test.
2.
The name of each child
who is absent without excuse for five (5) days during
the school year must be reported to the superintendent
or his designated representative, as required by T.C.A.
49-6-3007. This
refers to a total of five (5) days, and does not necessarily
mean five (5) consecutive days.
The superintendent will then serve, or cause
to be served, on the parent or guardian a written notice
that attendance is required.
If the parent or guardian does not assure attendance
of the pupil within three (3) days the superintendent
shall follow legal procedure to ensure compliance with
the attendance law.
3.
Suspension from school
is an unexcused absence. Late Arrival / Early Dismissals Being
on time to school and class is essential for optimum
teaching and learning. When a student is tardy, or leaves early he/she
disrupts the process for others and loses important
learning time for himself/herself.
School bus transportation is provided free of
charge to students of
A.
A doctor's statement
B.
An official court
notice that is not related to truancy or a student's
misdeeds.
C.
A parent conference
or a parent's telephone call and approval by administration. (Personal illness would be excused.) The
name of any student who has been truant due to late
arrivals and/or early dismissals may also be referred
to the attendance
personnel. The school principal will pursue available means
to facilitate and persuade the student's return to regular
attendance. If
the student's attendance does not improve significantly,
both the student and parent(s) or guardian(s) shall
be subject to court action.
The attendance personnel or the principal/designee
may file charges against the parent and/or student if
tardies/early dismissals are excessive. Positive Incentives for Good Attendance Grades
K-12 Individual
schools are encouraged to provide positive incentives
for regular attendance. (All
high school students will take final exams for all courses,
beginning with the 2005-2006 school year.) Attendance Supervision The
attendance supervisor shall oversee the entire attendance
program, which shall include:
A.
All system-wide accounting
and reporting procedures;
B.
Ensuring that all
school age children attend school;
C.
Observing and enforcing
all county attendance policies and state attendance
laws; and
D.
Notifying the Department
of Safety whenever a student with a driver's permit
or license is revoked due to grades and/or attendance. Principal The
principal shall be responsible for ensuring that:
A.
Attendance is checked
and reported daily for each class;
B.
Daily absent sheets
contain sign in/sign out sheets and indicated students
present or absent for the majority of the day;
C.
All student absences
are followed up;
D.
Determination is made
if an absence is excused or unexcused, based on criteria
approved by the Wilson County Board of Education;
E.
System-wide procedures
for individual accounting and reporting are followed;
F.
An attempt is made
to contact, individually by telephone, each student
or his/her parent each day (Principal or his/her designee)
(9-12);
G.
An attempt is made
to contact parents/guardians, individually by telephone,
of all K-12 students who have missed five (5) unexcused
days or more prior to ten (10) unexcused days (principal
or his/her designee);
H.
Each student receives
a copy of the attendance policy; and
I.
Said policy is explained
in a homeroom or assembly meeting. Confidentiality Student
attendance records shall be given the same level of
confidentiality as student records. Authorized school officials for legitimate educational
purposes only may have access to student information
without the consent of the student or parent/guardian
(T.C.A. 10-7-504; U.S.C.A. 20-1232g). Eighteen-Year Old Absenteeism (Unexcused) A
student who is eighteen (18) years of age and has missed
five (5) unexcused days will be referred to the principal.
After meeting with the student, the principal
will send a letter to the student's parent or guardian
informing him/her of the consequences of nonattendance. (Said letter shall advise parents of the possible
transfer to the After
the student missed ten (10) or more unexcused absences,
he/she may be transferred to the Change of Address Parents
are reminded to notify the school when there is a change
of address, telephone number, custody, etc. ( T.C.A.
49-6-3001 - School Age - (c) (1) Every parent, guardian
or other person residing within this state having control
or charge of any child or children between six (6) years
of age and seventeen (17) years of age, both inclusive,
shall cause such child or children to attend public
or non-public school, and in event of failure to do
so, shall be subject to the penalties hereinafter provided. (The courts
have ruled that the word "inclusive" requires a child
to attend school until the day before his/her eighteenth
birthday.) T.C.A.
49-6-3007- Attendance and truancy reports - (e) (1)
It is the duty of the principal or teacher of
every public, private or parochial school to report
promptly to the superintendent, or to the superintendent's
designated representative, the names of all children
who have withdrawn from school, or who have been absent
five (5) days (this means an aggregate of five (5) days
during the school year and not necessarily five (5)
consecutive days) without adequate excuse.
Each successive accumulation of five (5) unexcused
absences by a student shall also be reported. T.C.A.
49-6-3009 - Penalty for Violations - (a) Any parent,
guardian or other person who has control of a child,
or children, and who violates the provisions of this
part commits a Class C misdemeanor. (b) Each day's unlawful absence constitutes a separate
offense. T.C.A.
40-35-111 - Terms of Imprisonment or Fines - (3) Class
C misdemeanor, not greater than thirty (30) days or
a fine not to exceed fifty dollars ($ 50.00), or both,
unless otherwise provided by statute. Driver's License Revocation Any
student fifteen (15) years of age or older who becomes
academically deficient or deficient in attendance shall
be reported to the Department of Safety for driver's
license revocation. A
student shall be deemed academically deficient if he/she
has not received passing grades in at least two (2)
full unit subjects on the block schedule or their equivalency
at the conclusion of any subsequent grading period. A
student shall be deemed deficient in attendance when
he/she drops out of school or has more than (10) consecutive
or fifteen (15) days total in unexcused absences during
a single semester. Suspensions
shall be considered unexcused absences.
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