District News

District amends student attendance policy

At its August 2008 meeting, the Board of Education approved changes to the district's Comprehensive Student Attendance policy. The changes lowers the number of days to 24  that middle school and high school students may miss school before losing credit for a course.

"Routine school attendance is critical if students are to receive a proper education. It is the district's position that for a student to do his or her best, that student needs to be in the classroom. The change in the attendance policy reflects that belief," said Superintendent James D. Hoffman.

The amended policy reads:

Student Attendance/Course Credit

The District believes that classroom participation is related to and affects a student's performance and grasp of the subject matter and, as such, is properly reflected in a student's final grade. For purposes of this policy, classroom participation means that a student is in class and prepared to work.

Consequently, for each marking period a certain percentage of a student's final grade will be based on classroom participation as well as the student's performance on homework, tests, papers, projects, etc. as determined by the building administrator and/or classroom teacher.

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. Consistent with the importance of classroom participation, unexcused student absences, tardiness, and early departures will affect a student's grade, including credit for classroom participation, for the marking period.

At the middle school/senior high school level, any student with more than 24 absences in a course may not receive credit for the course. However, it is District policy that students with properly excused absences, tardiness and early departures for which the student has performed any assigned make-up work, assignments and/or tests shall not be counted as an absence for the purpose of determining the student's eligibility for course credit. District procedures will specify how student tardiness and early departures will be calculated and factored into the District's minimum attendance standard.

For summer school and courses meeting 1/2 year, any student with more than 12 absences may not receive course credit.

Transfer students and students re-enrolling after having dropped out will be expected to attend a prorated minimum number of the scheduled class meetings during their time of enrollment.

Students will be considered in attendance if the student is:

1. Physically present in the classroom or working under the direction of the classroom teacher during the class scheduled meeting time; or

2. Working pursuant to an approved independent study program; or

3. Receiving approved alternative instruction.

Students who are absent from class due to their participation in a school sponsored activity are to arrange with their teachers to make up any work missed in a timely manner as determined by the student's teacher. Attendance at school sponsored events where instruction is substantially equivalent to the instruction which was missed shall be counted as the equivalent of regular attendance in class.

Upon returning to school following a properly excused absence, tardiness or early departure, it shall be the responsibility of the student to consult with his/her teacher(s) regarding arrangements to make up missed work, assignments and/or tests in accordance with the time schedule specified by the teacher.

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