ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

Attendance at Affton High School is a privilege. Although the State of Missouri has a compulsory school attendance law which guarantees an educational opportunity for its youth, admittance to and continued attendance in a public school are privileges dependent upon the student’s compliance with the laws of the State of Missouri, the policies of the Affton School District, and the rules and regulations of the school. It follows that when a student does not comply with the laws, policies, or rules, the privilege of attending classes at Affton High School may be suspended or revoked.

• Students may fail to earn credit after nine (9) total verified and unverified absences.
• Parents will be notified with a warning letter after the fifth (5th) absence.
• Students and parents will be notified by letter of failure to earn credit after the tenth (10th) absence. The appeal process for absences due to extenuating circumstances will be outlined in the letter.
• Students who fail to earn credit will receive a grade of NC unless the student was failing the course. Then the grade will be F.
• Students or parents may appeal failure to earn credit by the date specified on the appeal form. A review committee will review all documentation to see if the absences were beyond the control of the student and/or parent. A review committee will be convened ONLY if an appeal form has been submitted by the specified date!
• The review committee may allow credit to be earned, may place the student on probation, or may uphold the failure to earn credit.
• Students will not be withdrawn from classes due to absenteeism. If they choose not to continue working and create discipline problems in the class, they may be removed and given an F for the course.
• Students may not be excused from classes to help at home, run errands, etc. Requests to be dismissed during these times will be denied except for documented medical or dental appointments.
• A student not in attendance for three or more periods during the school day may not participate in extra-curricular school activities for that day. A student who is under suspension from school (either in-school or out-of-school) may not attend or participate in school activities for that day.
• Once a class has started, students are not to leave the room without permission from the teacher in charge.

Students who walk out of a room while a class is in session without the consent of the teacher in charge are subject to disciplinary action.

• Suspensions imposed by the school administrator do not count as absences in determining whether a student will lose credit in a class for excessive absenteeism.
• As an A+ School, students must meet the required 95% attendance rate to be eligible for A+ designation. See A+ Handbook for complete details.

ABSENCES

Parents of ALL students must telephone the school attendance secretary whenever it is necessary for a student to be absent, arrive late or be dismissed early during the school day. Calls may be made at any time and will be answered by a voice messaging system. The phone number is 638-7730. Attendance is taken each period by the teachers. Any absence not reported or verified by the parent/guardian within 48 hours after the student returns to school will count as an unverified absence. Students may not be dismissed from school while final exams are being given.

ABSENCES (MEDICAL/EXTENDED)

Student/Parent guidelines for extending hospital care are:

• Upon a student’s entrance to a hospital or care unit for extended stay, a parent conference with the counselor will take place before school assignments may be sent to the hospital or care unit.
• When appropriate and with the doctor’s consent, Special School District’s Homebound Teaching should be initiated.
• The student’s teachers and school nurse will be told about the student’s hospitalization.
• The student’s counselor will contact the educational supervisor at the hospital to explain the policy for absences and school assignments.
• Individual class assignments will be sent to the hospital on a weekly basis with the understanding that the previous week’s assignments will have been completed and returned to the teacher before additional assignments are sent.
• A parent may request the student be withdrawn from one or two classes prior to reaching fifteen (15) days to help the student make up the work in the other classes. The classes from which the student is removed prior to fifteen (15) days will not appear on the student’s permanent record.
• Before the student may return to school, a conference with the student’s parents and counselor is required.
• Administrators, student’s teachers, and the school nurse will be notified of the returning date prior to the student’s return to classes.
• Upon returning to school, a letter from the hospital doctor must be on file. This letter needs to state the dates the student was in the hospital, and the date the student may return to school.

ABSENCES (VERIFIED)

• Death in the student’s immediate family
• Illness of student
• Doctor and dental appointments
• Certain days for religious observations
• Court appearances
• College visits for high school juniors and seniors
• Family trip, providing that
• The school is notified in advance;
• The student procures assignments in advance of the absence;
• All assigned work is turned in upon returning to school;

All tests, etc. are made up at the discretion of the individual teacher.

TARDY PROCEDURES & CONSEQUENCES

During the 2009-2010 school year, there were changes in the consequences regarding student tardies.

When a student accumulates their 5^th tardy to their classes, they will receive a three hour Late D-Hall after school on an assigned Thursday from 2:38-5:23 p.m. This is already in place.

When a student receives their 10^th tardy to their classes, they will receive 3 days in ISS (In School Suspension) and parents will receive a call from their student’s administrator.

When a student receives their 15^th tardy to their classes, they will receive 3 days OSS (Out of School Suspension) and parents will have a meeting with their student’s administrator before student can return to school.

When a student receives their 20^th tardy to their classes, the following interventions might include: all classes dropped with an F and student takes credit recovery, parking pass revoked, parent meeting, SCOPE, suspension for the rest of the semester, parents invited to follow student around school for the day to all classes, lunch detentions, no travel in seminar.

Something else to consider, when a student receives 5 tardies it automatically turns into 1 absents counted against their attendance.