STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK! 

Below are the Symptom-Based Exclusion Guidelines from the Oregon Department of Education. Students and staff should be excluded from the school setting if they exhibit:

• Fever: a measured temperature equal to or greater than 100.4°F orally.

• Cough: persistent cough that is not yet diagnosed and cleared by a licensed healthcare provider OR any acute (non-chronic) cough illness OR cough that is frequent or severe enough to interfere with active participation in usual school activities.

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath not explained by a situation such as exercise: feeling unable to catch their breath, gasping for air, breathing too fast or too shallowly, breathing with extra efforts such as using muscles of the stomach, chest, or neck.

• Headache with a stiff neck or fever.

• Diarrhea: three or more watery or loose stools in 24 hours OR sudden onset of loose stools OR student unable to control bowel function when previously able to do so.

• Vomiting: at least one episode that is unexplained

• Skin rash or sores: new rash not previously diagnosed by a health care provider OR if the rash is increasing in size OR if new sores or wounds are developing day-to-day OR if rash, sores, or wounds are draining and cannot be completely covered with a bandage.

• Eye redness and drainage: unexplained redness of one or both eyes OR colored drainage from the eyes OR eye irritation accompanied by vision changes OR symptoms such as eye irritation, pain, redness, swelling, or excessive tear production that prevent active participation in usual school activities.

• Jaundice: yellowing of the eyes or skin that is new or uncharacteristic.

• Behavior changes: may include uncharacteristic lethargy, decreased alertness, increased irritability, increased confusion, or a behavior change that prevents active participation in usual school activities.

• Major health event: may include an illness lasting more than two weeks; an emergency room treatment or hospital stay; a surgical procedure with the potential to affect vital signs or active participation in school activities; or a new or changed health condition for which school staff is not adequately informed, trained, or licensed to provide care.

• Students requiring more care than school staff can safely provide.

Central Catholic will ultimately determine whether an absence is approved or unapproved. 

Students are required to stay at home if they have a quarantined illness or condition. Before returning to school after such an illness or condition, a student should obtain a doctor’s permission to do so.

If a student has had an illness of a communicable nature (flu, Covid-19), chicken pox, measles, hepatitis A, scarlet fever, pink eye, impetigo, lice, boils, etc.), s/he must remain at home until well and fever for 24 hours.

Illness

• Parents/guardians are required to report the absence through the SchoolPass app by 9:30 A.M. If the parent/guardian does not notify the school, the absence will be considered unapproved.

• Prior to returning to school after an absence related to illness, the parent/guardian is to submit a reason for the student’s absence in the notes section of SchoolPass App, and submit any supporting documents to attendance@centralcatholichigh.org to the SchoolPass App (attachment function only available from a web browser).

• Students who become ill during the school day must report to the main office to obtain permission to go home. Any missed tests, quizzes, or homework needs to be completed within a reasonable time period upon return and due dates should be arranged between the teacher and the student.

• Unless the situation is extraordinary, for each day missed, a student who was absent for an illness will have two school days to make up the work. If an assessment is missed, that assessment must be retaken within one to two weeks. Students and/or parents/guardians should communicate with the school counselor if the illness is extraordinary or extended and requires an accommodation.

• Students who arrive for part of the school day are responsible for completing any missed tests, quizzes, or homework assignments that same day.

Doctor, Dental, and Medical Appointments

• Doctor, dentist, and other medical appointments should be scheduled at a time that minimizes the impact on class time. Parents/guardians who request that a student be excused from school for medical appointments must do so through the School Pass App. The main office will issue a pass that allows the student to leave class. This pass should be signed and returned to the main office when the student returns to school.

• Students returning from medical appointments must submit a note from the medical office confirming the appointment via email to attendance@centralcatholichigh.org or via the SchoolPass App (attachment function only available from a web browser). Students who are absent and do not present a medical note, will not be allowed to participate in ANY co-curricular activity that day.

Major Medical/Life Event

• If a student is experiencing a major health event, or a significant life event such as loss of a close family member, a parent/guardian and/or the student should be in touch with their counselor as soon as possible. If they are unable to reach their counselor, they should reach out to the Main Office. 

• Based on the situation, and with proper documentation, the student may be considered medically excused.  In general, students who miss school due to an illness or emergency situation need to make arrangements with each teacher regarding make-up work and tests. It is important to notify their counselor to ensure students receive support with this process. 

• Unless the situation is extraordinary, for each day missed, a student who was absent for an illness or medical procedure will have two school days to make up the work. If an assessment is missed, that assessment must be retaken within one to two weeks. 

• A major health event may include an illness lasting more than two (2) weeks; an emergency room treatment or hospital stay; a surgical procedure with the potential to affect vital signs or active participation in school activities; or a new or changed health condition for which school staff is not adequately informed, trained, or licensed to provide care. 

Requests to be excused from school for reasons other than illness should be made one (1) week prior to the day of absence and can be reported through the SchoolPass App.

Absence Request

Parents/guardians can request/report an approved absence through the SchoolPass App. This notification is to be submitted to the school prior to the date(s) of the absence. If the student is not in class on the return date, that absence will not be approved. The student is responsible for all work missed, including tests. Homework and tests should be completed prior to the excused absence unless other arrangements have been made with the teacher.

Students who miss school for a school-related activity must have the appropriate permission notification submitted by their parents/guardians. It is the responsibility of the student to communicate their absence with the teachers and their counselor. The Dean of Student Management, Safety, and Security makes final decisions on whether a student will be excused from school for a given activity.

Absences during Academic Culmination/finals week require special approval through the Assistant Principal of Curriculum Design and Instruction and will not be approved for family travel. These exceptions are reserved for illness and other extreme circumstances.

College Campus Visits

Students are encouraged to use school vacations and weekends to visit the campuses of colleges they are considering attending. When this is not possible, students are allowed to miss up to three (3) school days to make college visits provided they secure permission by submitting a notification of absence at least one (1) week in advance of the absence. 

Unapproved Absence from Class

An unapproved absence is defined as any absence not verified by a parent/guardian and/or leaving school grounds without parent approval or without school permission. School permission means the student has formally checked out through the Main Office before leaving campus.

Verification Process:

• Parent/guardian must notify the Attendance Office by phone, email, or written note before the start of the missed class or no later than the end of the school day.

• Notifications should include the student’s name, date of absence, and reason for the absence.

• Absences not verified within 24 hours will remain unapproved.

Consequences for Unapproved Absences:

• Notification: Teachers and parents/guardians will be informed.

• Study Hall Requirement: Students will attend after-school study hall for

  • 80 minutes per class missed on Cardinal and Gold Days

  • 60 minutes per class missed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

• Saturday School: Students who accumulate more than three unexcused absences must attend Saturday School.

• Discipline Probation: Any additional unapproved absence beyond this point will result in placement on discipline probation.

Our Excessive Absences policy adheres to the following guidelines. Policies are in place for excused and unexcused absences:

1. Students who are absent from class five (5) times in a semester will receive a warning.

2. Students who are absent from class seven (7) times in a semester will be required to meet with administration and will be placed on attendance probation, in addition to attending mandatory Saturday School.

3. Students who are absent from class ten (10) times in a semester will need to go through an appeal process (see Appendix 1) to receive credit for the course.

A student may appeal for excessive absences no more than two semesters over their four years.

School sponsored activities and medically excused absences are excluded and DO NOT count in attendance total. 

If a student leaves school for any part of the school day, or arrives later than 30 minutes at the start of the school day, because of illness or unapproved absence, they will not be able to participate in, or attend, any school function, activity, and/or athletic practice/competition that afternoon or evening. This includes drama, music, Open Mic nights, Con Team, Mock Trial, etc. Failure to comply with this policy may result in a suspension or removal from the activity. 

Students need to be in attendance the entire school day in order to attend or participate in a school function or athletic practice/ competition that afternoon or evening.

If a student leaves school during the school day for a medical appointment, they may not participate in or attend a school function or athletic practice/competition that afternoon or evening unless they submit an official note from the medical provider confirming the appointment. Such participation with a medical note will warrant that the daytime absence be classified as approved.

Students are to be inside their respective classrooms or locker rooms when the bell rings for class to begin. Those who arrive late for class must obtain an admittance slip from the main office.

Tardies will be considered approved only for good reasons accompanied by a School Pass notification from parents. A student is only allowed five (5) parental approved tardies a semester. After five (5) approved tardies all other tardies will be considered unapproved. After the fifth unapproved tardy, only the Dean of Student Management, Safety, and Security can approve a tardy. Seven (7) unapproved tardies will result in one hour after school detention, and if a senior loss of off campus lunch.

Ten (10) unapproved tardies requires the student and parent/guardian to meet with the Dean of Student Management, Safety, and Security to determine outcomes and support. If half of a class period is missed, the tardy is considered an absence.

Excessive Tardies Protocol:

• Three (3) Tardies: Warning issued

• Five (5) Tardies: Lunch detention

• Seven (7) Tardies: After-school detention (1 hour)

• 10 Tardies: Saturday School (3 hours)

• A student is only allowed five (5) parental approved tardies a semester

The school day begins when the student enters the building. Whenever a student leaves the building during the school day for any reason, they must sign out at the main office. Upon returning to school, the student must sign in through the main office. 

Using any exit or entrance, at any point during the school day, other than the main entry doors will result in disciplinary action.

Once the school day has begun, students may not leave the premises during the school day without a signed pass from the Dean of Student Management, Safety, and Security, main office, or other administrator. Violators are subject to disciplinary action.

Students who leave the premises must obtain their pass from the main office and sign out. Students are to check-in through the main office upon returning to school.   

Seniors with parental/guardian permission may leave school at lunchtime. Off-campus lunch for seniors begins the second week of school. Parents/guardians of seniors must submit a signed permission at reenrollment. Central Catholic reserves the right to revoke off-campus privileges at its discretion, especially if seniors are returning tardy from lunch.