Good attendance is an essential element in the process of learning and in life. The primary responsibility of good attendance rests with students and parents. Students receive a total of 90 minutes of daily instruction in each class, therefore good high school attendance is crucial for success in high school and in all components of life after graduation. The Burke County Public Schools High School Attendance Policy ( Policy Number 3460) states: students enrolled at the high school level are allowed 5 total absences (this includes excused and unexcused absences) per semester. Students who accumulate over 5 total absences will be issued No Credit or a grade of "FF," in any classes in which the excessive absences occurred.

The counselors and administration at East Burke High School strive and pledge to assist our students and parents in maintaining good attendance each semester by adhering to the following school attendance procedures:

1. Once a student reaches 4 total absences in a class period, the appropriate the school counselor will contact the student and parent to discuss the students attendance and the attendance policy. As a team they will collaborate with one another on how they can all work together to ensure the student meets the attendance requirements and maintains good attendance during each semester. Parents may submit handwritten notes for illnesses for the first 3 absences the student accumulates.

2. Once a student reaches a total of 5 absences in a class period, the counselor will contact the parent and student to discuss. At this point, students will be required to submit the appropriate documentation to the EBHS attendance office for any future absences that may occur ( i.e. official medical notes, obituaries for the death of an immediate family member or court documentation).

3. Once a student accumulates over 5 absences in a class period, they will be required to make up time in order to keep credit for that class (or classes). Students MUST meet with their counselor to discuss appropriate community service agencies or ways around the school that they can be utilized to make up time for attendance. It is the responsibility of the student and parent to schedule a time for make up hours with the appropriate community service agencies or the school and to provide transportation to and from the service site or school.

4. Students will be responsible for making up 45 minutes for each class period in which they are over there allowed 5 absences. The student and/or parent MUST contact the appropriate grade level counselor to discuss how much time is owed in order to maintain class credit.

5. Students MUST submit verification of completed community service hours to their grade level counselor, attendance secretary or principal on or before 3pm of the designated date. For first semester of the 2016/17 school year this documentation must be submitted on or before 3pm on January 19th, 2017. Students who do not complete their attendance make up hours or submit verification of their completed hours after the designated date and time may not have their hours approved and may be issued no credit for their classes.

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