Attendance

ATTENDANCE POLICY

PHILOSOPHY: Students and their parents have the responsibility for maintaining prompt and regular attendance as prescribed in the Compulsory Attendance law RCW 28A.27.01. Daily attendance and active participation in each class is a critical part of the learning process. Students and parents must accept full responsibility for regular school attendance. The school best serves all students and the learning process by establishing clear attendance expectations, consistent consequences, and timely reporting of student's attendance patterns.

PROCEDURE: Students are expected to attend all classes on time. It is the student's and/or parent's responsibility to document each absence by submitting a written note (signed by a parent/guardian) to the attendance office or by having the legal guardian call 252-4504 within three school days of the absence. Accurate information is a critical part of the process. Documentation should include: 1) Student name & identification number; 3) Exact date and periods absent; 3) reason for absence; 4) Parent/guardian signature.

STATE TRUANCY LEGISLATION: According to Washington State truancy laws (RCW 28.A.225) after seven (7) unexcused absences in one month, or ten (10) in one year, school districts must file a truancy petition alleging a violation of the law by the student, by the parent or both. According to the State of Washington, an unexcused absence is student nonattendance for more than 50% of the student's school day. This nonattendance has not been approved by a parent/guardian through the attendance office within three (3) school days. We strongly encourage the parent/guardian to contact the school to meet with a counselor or administrator to develop strategies to eliminate student absences when a student has reached two (2) unexcused absences in a one month period.

EXCUSED ABSENCE: If an absence is excused, students shall be permitted upon request to make up all missed assignments outside of the class under reasonable conditions and time limits established by the school and/or teacher. The following are valid excuses for absences and tardiness:

• Participation in a school-approved activity: Activity must be authorized by a school staff member. Student's teacher must be notified prior to the absence.

• Absence due to illness, health condition, family emergency or religious purposes: The parent is to notify the school attendance office on the morning of the absence and send a signed note of explanation with the student upon his/her return to school.

•Absence resulting from disciplinary actions and/or suspensions: Students who are removed from class or classes as a disciplinary measure and/or who have been placed on suspension have the right to make-up assignments or exams missed during the time they were denied entry to the classroom.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE: An unexcused absence is failing to submit an excuse statement signed by the parent, guardian, or adult student Any student who presents false evidence, with or without the consent of his/her parents/guardians, in order to wrongfully qualify for an excused absence shall be subject to disciplinary action.

At the option of the teacher, the student may or may not be permitted to make up missed work assignments or exams for an unexcused absence. A student's grade shall not be affected if no graded activity is missed during such a semester.

GRADING: A student's academic grade or credit in a particular subject, course and/or program may be adversely affected by reason of tardiness or absences upon the basis that:

• The student's attendance and/or participation is related to the instructional objectives or goals of the particular subject or course (WAC 180-40-235)

• The teacher informs students or the attendance policy/procedure of his/her classroom if it is in exception to building procedures. These exceptions must be approved by the principal prior to each semester and cannot differ from district policy and procedure.

TARDY: A student will be considered tardy if he/she enters his/her scheduled class within the first 25 minutes of class.

• An excused tardy: The student submits a signed note from a school staff member or the attendance office. Student shall be granted the opportunity to make up missed assignments and/or exams within a reasonable time limit approved by the teacher.

• An unexcused tardy: The student does not submit a signed note from a school staff member or the attendance office. At the option of the teacher, the student may or MAY NOT be permitted to make up missed work assignments and/or exams for an unexcused tardy.

EXTENDED ABSENCE DUE TO HEALTH CONDITION: If a student is confined to home or hospital for an extended period, the school can arrange for the accomplishment of assignments at the place of confinement whenever practical. If the student is unable to do his/her schoolwork, or if there are major requirements of a particular course which cannot be accomplished outside of the class, the may be required to take an incomplete or withdraw form the class without penalty.

TARDY / ABSENCE		ACTION TAKEN
EVERY ABSENCE EXCUSED & UNEXCUSED IN A CLASS ALL YEAR		AUTOMATED PHONE CALL. When you are marked absent from any class an automated phone call will be made to the student's home.
2nd UNEXCUSED ABSENCE OR 3rd UNEXCUSED TARDY IN A CLASS IN A SEMESTER		AFTER - SCHOOL DETENTION TEACHER: • Notifies the Intervention Specialist and assigns the student after-school detention INTERVENTION SPECIALIST: • Notify parent/guardian of student's after-school detention • Inform counselor and administrator of student assignment STUDENT: • Will inform teacher of completion of after-school detention with appropriate documentation
3rd UNEXCUSED ABSENCE IN A CLASS IN A SEMESTER		TEACHER: • Contacts parent to discuss student's attendance • Notifies counselor of student's attendance SCHOOL: • Will send letter to the home of the parent, guardian, or adult student
7th UNEXCUSED ABSENT DAY IN A MONTH		INTERVENTION SPECIALIST: • Will file a truancy petition alleging a violation of truancy law RCW 28A.225
10th UNEXCUSED ABSENT DAY IN A YEAR		INTERVENTION SPECIALIST: • Will file a truancy petition alleging a violation of truancy law RCW 28A.225

STUDENT RESPONSISIBILITY:

• Go to every class every day on time

• Make sure appropriate documentation for an absence or tardy is filed in the attendance office and with the teacher

•"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Make up all missed work from an excused tardy/ absence immediately. This may require checking in with a teacher or classmate.

TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIY:

• The teacher must personally take daily class attendance, keeping record of both absences and tardies (excused and unexcused) for all students on their assigned class roster(s).

• The teacher will personally complete the daily building attendance form(s) that reports the absences/tardies of pupils in his/her assigned class or classes.

• Whenever a student is released from a teacher's class by request of a school staff member, prior permission shall be obtained from that teacher or designated representative. Exceptions shall be determined by the principal/designee.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITY:

• The principal/designee will have primary responsibility for building attendance procedures and will indicate to all staff, during annual preschool staff meetings, their role in student attendance monitoring, reporting, and procedural compliance.

• The principal/designee will monitor teacher attendance procedures and review annually building attendance procedures.

• District and building attendance policies and procedures will be distributed and made available to parents, teachers, and students on an annual basis.

• Quarter and semester grade reporting shall include an accounting of a student's attendance by class.

• The principal/designee may establish procedures by which students with outstanding attendance records will be recognized for this achievement.

• The principal/designee will be the final authority for the standards regarding the implementation of attendance the policy and procedures.

PARENT/ GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITY:

It is the responsibility of all parents/guardians of children of school age to see that their children regularly attend school on time and to encourage their children's full participation in classroom learning experiences. It is the responsibility of the parent to inform the school of their children's absence on the morning or as soon as possible on the day of the absence.

TARDY DETENTION and FAILURE TO COMPLY:

Students may be assigned Tardy Detention for accumulating three unexcused absences or tardies. Teachers will notify students if they have been assigned to tardy detention. In addition, you should be receiving phone calls from our phone robot each time a student misses a class or is late to class. Students assigned to detention have one week to attend the detention. Detention will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm. Students Should a student fail to make arrangements to attend the detention, they will be assigned a 2-hour Saturday School session which will be held the 2 nd and 4 th Saturday of each month. Students who fail to attend Saturday School when assigned will be suspended from Franklin High School pending a parent conference.

PLEASE help your student succeed by reinforcing daily consistent attendance. Many students are leaving campus during lunch and not returning in time. We recommend that students eat in the cafeteria or bring a lunch from home.

Please remember to clear excused absences for religious, medical, or other appropriate reasons with a written and signed note to the attendance office within three school days of the excused absence.