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ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular school attendance will aid greatly in promoting the success of students. The educational process requires a continuous sequence of instruction. When broken by a period of absence, this instruc­ tion can never be fully regained by extra work. The regular contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in learning activities under the supervision of a qualified teacher will assist each student in attaining his/her maximum potential. The primary purpose of this attendance policy is to develop a sense of responsibly, to promote punctuality, to develop traits of good citizenship, and to enhance academic success. It is with these purposes in mind that this attendance policy and the implementation procedure described are approved.

GUIDELINES FOR EXCUSING AN ABSENCE

  In order for an absence to be excused, the parent/guardian must phone the school, send a note from home, or provide a medical excuse. The parent/guardian must make prior arrangements for absences due to special events or personal business. Absences will be classified as excused, unexcused, or truant depending on the reason for the absence.

1. EXCUSED - A student will be excused for the following reasons:

a. Personal illness

b. Personal medical or dental appointments. (Medical certificate is requires within one week of absence)

c. Serious illness or death in the immediate family.

d. Students may be excused for other reasons if the parent makes a request in writing in a timely fashion PRIOR to the requested absence. The school may approve an absence without prior notice if circumstances reasonably prevented the student from having obtained prior permission. Approval will be contingent upon attendance, history and academic standing.

e. If a school bus is unable to reach a bus pick-up due to poor road conditions, flooding, or other issues and cannot pick-up a child and the child has no other means where by he/she maybe transported to school; that child's absence will be excused.

2. UNEXCUSED - All other absences from school will be considered unexcused. A student with an  unexcused absence will receive no make-up work, receive zero for all missed work,  

and a zero for classroom participation for the day.

3. TRUANT - A student will be considered truant if he or she is absent from school all or part of a day if:

a. The absence is without prior knowledge and consent of either the parent or school.

b. A "fictitious" phone call is received by the school excusing the absence.

c. A forged note is received excusing an absence.

A student who commits an act of truancy will receive no make-up work and will receive zeros on all missed work.

Step 1. (Excessive Excused/Unexcused Absences) Principal sends parent/guardian a certified letter indi­cating that student has missed 7 days.

Step 2. (10th Absence or 3 Unexcused Absences) Principal sends parent/guardian a certified letter/certificate of mailing signature card letter that requires him/her to attend a conference with school officials at which time an attendance contract must be signed. The parent and student may meet with a school counselor. Parent/guardian must contact the principal within (3) days of receipt of this letter to arrange a date and time for the meeting. If the parent/guardian fails to arrange and attend a meeting, the student will be placed on attendance probation.  

Step 3. (11th Absence or 4th Unexcused Absence) Parent must provide principal with medical statement  for every medical absence. OR Principal may grant excused absence for valid reason at the principal's discretion

ACTIONS THAT MAY BE TAKEN: Request that DFC consider possible reduction of TANF benefits. Request that a police officer investigate and possibly issue written warning, sending a copy to the parent/guardian, Probation Department, superintendent, principal, and Department of Family and Children.

Step 4. (Next Unexcused Absence) & After Written Warning

  School sends a certified letter to parent/guardian requiring him/her to schedule  

a  conference with the principal.

ACTION THAT MAY BE TAKEN:

Request the DFC consider possible reduction of TANF benefits AND/OR the Probation Department may file a juvenile delinquency petition alleging truancy or completes an informal adjustment with family at the request of the prosecutor. AND/OR Request to file an affidavit against the parent/guardian of educational neglect. AND/OR Recommend the student for retention in current grade. AND/OR Request that the Prosecuting Attorney initiates legal action against parent and/or child; court hears case.

It is very important that you understand that i t is your responsibility, as a parent or guardian, to ensure that your child regularly attends school as required by law.

When a student accumulates more than ten unexcused absences, the student will be deemed "habitually truant". This is defined in Indiana State Statue 20-33-2-11(b)(1).

A letter will be delivered in conjunction with and will be part of a criminal investigation that will list you as an "involved person". In the event that your child is absent from school and does not meet the requirements for an excused absence, the case will be formally prepared for prosecution in the Superior Court of Jennings County.

This letter will serve as your only notice that any further unexcused absences during the current school year could result in your arrest and subsequent prosecution for violation of Indiana Code 20-33-2-28. If convicted, you could receive up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1000.00.

The investigation will be conducted by the North Vernon Police Department and will not exclude or prevent any separate action taken by the Jennings County School Corporation.

MIDDLE SCHOOL - ATTENDANCE

  Regular school attendance will aid greatly in promoting the success of students. The educational process requires a continuous sequence of instruction and when broken by a period of absence this instruction can never be fully regained by extra work. The reular contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in learning activities under the supervision of a qualified teacher will assist each child in attaining his or her maximum potential.

The attendance policy governing the middle school is as follows:

In order for an absence to be excused the parent/guardian must call the attendance office, send a note from home or provide a medical excuse. The parent/guardian must make prior arrangements for absences due to special events or personal business.

ABSENTEEISM:Upon the seventh absence, a letter will be sent home to the parent/guardian notifying them of their student's excessive absenteeism and reinforcing the importance of good attendance. Upon the tenth absence, the student and parent/guardian must attend a conference with a school official at which time an attendance contract must be signed. The student will also be required to see his/her counselor to discuss his/her attendance. Any absence beyond the tenth day must be for medical or dental appointments, serious illness, injury, or death to a member of the student's immediate family. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into consideration bye the principal or his/her designee.

Severe cases of poor attendance may be prosecuted under Indiana's compulsory attendance laws.

  Sec. 4  (a) If a child who is an AFDC recipient fails to meet the school district's standards for attendance because of unexcused absences as defined by the school district, an evaluation of the circumstances shall be completed to determine the reasons for the child's attendance problems, establish milestones for attendance, and re-address problems associated with an inadequate level of attendance.

(b) AFDC benefits shall be reduced by ninety dollars ($90) per month if the parent or caretaker relative fails or refuses, without good cause, to comply with the written plan developed under subsection (a) and the child's school attendance in any subsequent report period is at an unacceptable level.

ABSENCE CLASSIFICATIONS: Absences will be classified as excused, unexcused or truant depending on the reason for the absence.

Excused - A student will be excused for the following reasons:

1. Personal illness verified by parent/guardian contact or medical slip within two days of absence

2. Serious illness in the immediate family

3. Students may be excused for other reasons if the parent makes a request in writing PRIOR to the requested absence. The school may approve an absence without prior notice if circumstances reasonably prevented the student from having obtained prior permission.

The following are excused days not counted toward the seven day absence limit.

1. Absences covered by a doctor's written statement verifying each date of absence

2. Death in immediate family

3. Work rendered on election (requires documentation) or work rendered as a legislative page

4. Court subpoena

Unexcused - All other absences from school will be considered unexcused. A student with an unex­cused absence will receive no make-up work.

Truant - A student will be considered truant if he or she is absent from school all or part of a day if:

  1. The absence is without the prior knowledge and consent of either the parent or the school.

  2.  A "fictitious" phone call is received by the school excusing the absence.

3. A forged note is received excusing an absence.

4. The student forges or alters a pass.

5. A student is released to another room, office, or assigned area and the student does not report and/or does not stay after reporting.

6. The student leaves 1st round dismissed if that is not the student's correct round.

A student who commits an act of truancy will receive no make-up work.

Three unexcused absences and/or suspensions out of school may result in intervention and conference with Division of Family Services.

HABITUAL TRUANCY: If a student is judged to be a habitual truant he/she may become ineligible to receive their Indiana driver's license until they reach the age of eighteen (18) years. A habitual truant is defined as follows: A student who is truant more than three times in one school year.

PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCES: Annually the Board of School Trustees adopts and publishes a school year calendar including student attendance days, days students are not in school and vacation periods. Parents are required to ensure that their children are in school during student attendance days.

The board recognizes that there occasionally may be circumstances other than illness or death in the family which warrant the student being absent from school. If parents believe extenuating circumstances exist concerning a planned student absence which would warrant such an absence be considered excused, they MUST request a conference with the principal or assistant principal PRIOR to student being absent. The determination as to whether the absence will be considered excused or unexcused will be based upon: evidence of a rare social or educational opportunity, the length of the absence, the involvement of other family members, and the student's prior attendance record.

Excused from Participation:

If it is necessary for a student to be excused from a classroom activity for medical reasons, the student should have a parent-signed request to give the teacher. If the request is for an extended period of time, the student may be requested to obtain a physician's statement.

Occasionally, parents call the office and make verbal request for students to be excused from participation due to illness. The nurse will issue an excuse for that one day and request that a written statement be brought for additional day of non-participation.

Passes for Leaving School:

1. students are not permitted to leave the school grounds at any time during the school day without a permit from the school office. Failure to follow the proper procedure will be considered truancy.

2. Students are not allowed to leave school to eat lunch, unless a parent-signed permission slip is on file in the main office for the student to go home for lunch. Students may not have restaurant food delivered to school.

3. When students have appointments, parent must call or send a note to the office stating the date, time, and place prior to the appointment. The student will be called to the office when the parent arrives. The student should report to the office when called. When the student returns to school following the appointment, he/she should report to the attendance office with a doctor's slip and get an admittance pass to class.