Guidelines

Attendance

Attendance in school is a good example of the connections of time and learning. Just as homework exemplifies learning, regular attendance exposes students to a greater amount of academic content and instruction. Research shows that poor school attendance usually reflects poor job attendance in the future. Studies have shown that too many missed days of school result in too many missed opportunities to learn, and can result in failure, dropping out, or both.

ABSENCES

The district will adhere to a new truancy protocol established through the court system in Clarion County. Following are updated procedures according to the protocol.

IF YOU ARE ABSENT OR LATE:

A student has 3 days to bring in an excuse card signed by their parent/guardian. Yellow excuse cards are provided by the school homeroom teacher, office, or may be printed from the school’s web site. Each excuse is evaluated and a decision is made as to whether it is excused or unexcused. Excused reasons include: personal illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, impassable roads, or death in the immediate family.

WHAT CONSTITUTES ½ DAY?

Arriving after 11:00 a.m.

Leaving before 2:00 p.m.

Absent during school day for more than 2 hours

IF YOUR ABSENCE INDICATED A PATTERN/EXCESSIVE ABSENCES:

Over 8 days – a warning letter will be sent home.

After 10 days – you will be required to submit a doctor’s excuse for each absence. Each day of absence without a doctor’s excuse is determined to be unexcused.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE?

Each student is allowed 3 unexcused/personal days per year. These are for reasons not judged to be excused. These 3 days of absence will have no effect on grade or homework.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET MORE THAN 3 DAYS OF UNEXCUSED/ILLEGAL ABSENCE?

  1. The student will receive a “zero” for any work missed on the day of absence and the District will exercise the following actions:

  2. On the first day of the unexcused/illegal absence, a warning letter will be mailed to your parents/guardian.

  3. On the second day of the unexcused/illegal absence, a warning letter will be mailed to your parents/guardian.

  4. On the third day of the unexcused/illegal absence, a warning letter will be mailed to your parents/guardian advising them that the next unexcused (illegal) absence will result in notice to the magistrate.

  5. On the fourth day of the unexcused/illegal absence, a letter will be mailed to your parents/guardian advising them that magistrate will be notified of the unexcused/illegal absence.

  6. Notice which will result in an appearance before the magistrate with the accompanying fine.

  7. Referral will be made to Children and Youth.

DAILY SCHEDULE

The school day for pupils in grades K-6 will begin at 9:20 a.m. and will close at 3:40 p.m.

Parents who drive students to school or pick them up at dismissal time are asked to refrain from parking in the traffic lanes. Do not park near the sidewalk in front of the building. This area is reserved for the buses. Parking in front of the high school from the hours of 2:00–3:00 p.m. is also prohibited.

Elementary pupils should not arrive before 8:55 a.m. Parents/guardians are not permitted in homerooms in the morning unless you have an appointment with a teacher. This time is scheduled for planning and meetings.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

At the end of the day, students who are transported by their parents/guardians (those who do not ride the bus) will be called to the lobby prior to dismissal announcements at 3:30 PM. Teachers will not release students unless a note has been provided by the parent/guardian.

Parents: Please do not call the school for last-minute changes to your child’s transportation after 3:00 PM. The phones lines are usually very busy at the end of the day and oftentimes, a message may not be received by the office and/or teacher.

AFTER SCHOOL HOURS

Students that forget an assignment or book at school will only be allowed back in the building until 5:00 p.m. After 5:00, for safety measures, the maintenance staff will be instructed not to allow anyone in the building.

TARDINESS

If a student arrives to school after 9:25 a.m. three times in a nine-week period without a proper excuse, the office is required to notify Children and Youth Services.

LEAVING EARLY

Students leaving after 2:00 p.m. will be excused with no penalty of absence for: vision, dental, medical, counseling appointments, or bereavement. Parents are highly cautioned about picking children up early for “other” reasons. (NOTE: The principal must approve these.) The last two periods of the day are very important for the students. Therefore, it is imperative that they are here.

We are very proud of our project-based educational programs. We enjoy having parents and grandparents come into the school for our special projects, however, a problem exists when parents ask to take the student and the older/younger siblings home after the program. It is imperative that siblings stay and complete the entire school day. It is also the law. Therefore, unless approved by the classroom teachers, no student or their younger or older siblings will be excused from school after the program. The teacher will be including this note on the handout that is sent home.

LEAVING SCHOOL

Students must present a note from parents/guardian in the morning requesting dismissal, giving time of departure and reason. Students are not permitted to leave school without gaining permission from the nurse or office. Doing so would be considered as leaving school without permission. When a student is leaving early the parent/guardian must first come to the office for security purposes. The office staff will then call the classroom and instruct the student to

report to the office for dismissal with the parent/guardian.

Students going to a sibling’s home junior high basketball games may go to the high school gym with a teacher at the end of the school day if the student has a note from the parent.

When a student returns to the school from an appointment, he/she must report to the office to notify of his/her return with their parent/guardian.

SNOW DAYS OR DELAYS

Cancellation of school or delaying the start of school may happen due to inclement weather or an emergency situation.

Parents/Guardians, please refrain from calling the school during these kinds of situations. The information you need is available through our district’s School Reach automated phone messaging system, on your local radio and television stations. With a one-hour delay, school starts at 10:20 a.m. The bus will pick your child up one hour later than normal. With a two-hour delay, school starts at 11:20 a.m. The bus will pick your child up two hours later than normal. The district requests that you give yourself and the bus driver a few extra minutes. Remind your child to listen to the bus driver. The bus driver needs their attention on the roads; they are carrying precious cargo. Please do not drop your child off early on delay days. There is no supervision. You must make other arrangements for your child.