Absences

Clearing Absences:  Any absence must be cleared with a note or a call from the parent/guardian within three days of the absence.  If not, the absence will be considered “unexcused” or “truant.”  “Unexcused” absences will directly affect citizenship grade.

Missed work due to absences:  Students must make up work missed due to absences within a reasonable amount of time.  The student must make arrangements with his/her teachers.  Makeup will cover any work missed during collaborative class work, labs, and other such activities.  Credit for makeup work for “unexcused” absences is allowed only after students attend Saturday School.

Students with an excess of both excused and unexcused absences (more than five per grading period) may adversely impact their academic grades, as instructional time with the teacher is extremely valuable to learning the material. In addition, certain classroom activities such as science labs and Socratic seminars warrant a challenging makeup assignment that would require extensive independent time and commitment.

Tardiness

Tardiness is not only an annoyance to the teacher and pupils, but is also a hindrance to the orderly progress of learning.  A student is considered tardy if he/she is not in his/her assigned seat when the tardy bell starts to ring.  Tardies of 30 minutes or more will be recorded as truancies.  Students who arrive at school after the first class begins must sign in at the school office.

• First Unexcused Tardy:  The teacher will record the first unexcused tardy and give the student a verbal warning.
• Second Unexcused Tardy: The teacher will record the second unexcused tardy, send a notice to the administration by the end of the day, lower the citizenship grade to no higher than a “G” for the grading period and call home to inform the parent/guardian.  Student is not to be sent to the office with the notice.
• Third Unexcused Tardy: The teacher will record the third unexcused tardy, send a notice to the administrative office by the end of the day (Administrative Detention), lower the citizenship grade to no higher than an “S” for the grading period and call home to inform the parent/guardian. Student is not to be sent to the office with the notice.
• Fourth Unexcused Tardy: The teacher will record the fourth unexcused tardy, send a notice to the administrative office by the end of the day (Saturday School), lower the citizenship grade to no higher than an “N” for the grading period and call home to inform the parent/guardian.  Student is not to be sent to the office with the notice.
• Habitual Tardiness: The teacher will record the unexcused tardy, and send a notice to the administrative office by the end of the day. The student’s parent/guardian will be contacted for a mandatory meeting. Appropriate action will be taken, which may include lunch and/or after school detention, Saturday School or formal suspension. The student’s citizenship grade will be lowered to a “U”. Student is not to be sent to the office with the notice.