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Report an Absence

ATTENDANCE
FORMS:

Field Trip Authorization Form

Pre-Planned Absence Form

Temporary Absence Form

Loss of Credit Appeal Form

Attendance Appeal Scoring Rubric

WASL Test Schedule

Daily Schedule

Early Release Schedule

Late Start Snow Days Schedule

Thank you for reading this important information from the attendance office.

Please note our attendance office phone number:

252-9875

for all attendance related issues.

The Center School
ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

1. ATTENDANCE RECORDS:

A. Attendance will be taken each period in each class. An absence is defined as any time a student misses more than ten (10) minutes of class.

B. When a student accumulates:

1. Three (3) missed instructional hours in a class, a letter will be sent home to notify parents/guardians.
2. Six (6) missed instructional hours in a class, a letter will be sent home to again notify parents/guardians.
3. Twelve (12) missed instructional hours in a class, the student and parents/guardians will be notified that there has been loss of credit and options for an appeal. The student is to continue attending class during this time to allow for continued learning and the right to an appeal.

C. School-related absences that require a student to miss class do not count towards the eleven (11) allowable instructional hours missed. School-related absences are defined as school-sponsored field trips, counselor appointments, administrator appointments, suspensions and visits to the school nurse. Pre-arranged absences are included in the eleven (11) allowable missed instructional hours.

2. NOTIFYING THE SCHOOL ABOUT ABSENCES:

A. All absences should be reported by sending a written note with your student or email the office the day before the absence or on the day the student returns to school. The school should be notified of absences within 48 hours of the absence (the day of the absence plus one day). All absences are considered unexcused until the school has received a written letter from parent/guardian within 2 school days (48 hours). Notifications should include the student's name, the parent/guardian calling, the date(s) of absence(s) and the reason for the absence. The following will be accepted as legitimate reasons for an absence from school:

1. Illness
2. Family emergency
3. Medical or dental appointments that cannot be scheduled outside the school day
4. Pre-arranged family trips (such trips must be excused prior to the trip itself)
5. Other emergency situations

B. Absences requiring students to leave school during the day must be excused prior to the student being excused from school. (See number 4 below.)
Please note that all absences resulting from the items listed above will count toward the school attendance policy limit of eleven (11) per semester before loss of credit results. Should a parent/guardian question or a correction be needed concerning the attendance recorded, the guardian must call the school between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. during school days.

3. ABSENCES WITHOUT NOTIFICATION (Truancy):

The compulsory attendance laws of Washington State establish firm policies and procedures to address student truancy. The law sets forth procedures that must be followed when students have unexcused absences (defined as the majority of a day absent from school without a parent excuse).

A. At one (1) unexcused absence in a calendar month, the school must notify the home (via a phone call or letter).

B. At two (2) unexcused absences in a calendar month, a conference must be held between the student, the school, and the parent if possible. The conference may occur via telephone or in person and the parent will be notified of the steps taken as a result of the conference. The conference may be held with just the student if the parent is unable to attend. The purpose of the conference is to determine what actions must be taken to correct or ameliorate truant behavior.

C. After five (5) and no later than seven (7) unexcused absences in a calendar month, or no later than ten (10) unexcused absences over the course of a school year, the school district must file a petition with the juvenile court system requesting the court to take action which will compel the student to attend school.

D. Make-up work: Students that are returning from absences in which parents have notified their child's school of the absence are able to make up assignments when they return. Students returning from un-notified absences are not eligible to make up assignments.

4. LEAVING SCHOOL DURING THE DAY (Excused non-routine early dismissal):

Students must check out at the office prior to leaving early from school. The office must be notified by a note from the parent prior to the student leaving early from school.

5. TARDINESS:

Tardiness will be considered a credit concern. When a student arrives more than ten (10) minutes late to class, it will also be considered a non-valid absence for that class. Three tardies are equal to one absence.

6. APPEALING LOSS OF CREDIT:

Students have the right to appeal loss of credit in the following ways:

A. Request for Reinstatement:

1) If a student knows beforehand that she/he will miss more than eleven (11) hours of instruction because of a serious, unavoidable situation (e.g. hospitalization, surgery, etc.), that student may request a pre-appeal through his/her counselor directly to the student's administrator. The administrator will either grant a reinstatement request if there is sufficient documentation/ evidence to support the request or refer the request to the Attendance Appeals Committee (see below).

2) Loss of credit caused by extenuating circumstances (serious illness, personal crisis, family emergencies, etc.) may be appealed through the student's counselor directly to the student's administrator. The administrator will either reinstate the opportunity to earn credit if there is sufficient documentation/ evidence or refer the appeal to the Attendance Appeals Committee (see below). Students and parents/guardians should contact the counselor as soon as possible when they know a Request for Reinstatement will be needed.

B. Attendance Appeals Committee:

Students will have a scheduled appointment to meet with Attendance Appeals Committee, discuss their absences, and appeal for reinstatement of the opportunity to earn credit. The student requesting an appeal must attend the appeal meeting when scheduled. The student's parent/guardian or staff advocate is invited and encouraged to attend as well. The committee will notify the student of their decision within there (3) days of the meeting;

If parents/guardians are uncertain as to which appeal rout is appropriate, please contact a counselor or administrator. The three possible results from an APPEALS COMMITTEE appeal are: 1) Reinstatement of Credit with or without conditions for future behaviors. 2) Denial of Credit pending the successful completion of an attendance contract for reinstatement. 3) Denial of Credit. Denial of credit is most often related to having unacceptable absences, insufficient documentation to support request for reinstatement claim, negligence on the part of the student in tracking absences or adjusting behaviors to prevent exceeding limit, not following terms of contract(s) in effect at time of appeal.

7. DENIAL OF CREDIT:

If loss of credit is appealed and denied, students are expected to remain in class to allow for continued learning.

A. Students can also progress in the next level in a sequential course based upon teacher recommendations despite loss of credit. By remaining in class and meeting the expectations of the teacher, students can avoid failing the class with an E grade and instead receive a N (no credit) grade, which does not affect the student's GPA.

B. Students not attending class after denial of credit will have their schedules reduced until the start of the next semester.