Attendance Information
Attendance Contact:
Stacy Boothroyd, Dean of Students
Attendance Line Phone: (860) 456-3879 x24310
PLEASE NOTE: PHONE CALLS DO NOT EXCUSE AN ABSENCE. AN EMAIL OR NOTE MUST BE PROVIDED FOR AN ABSENCE TO BE EXCUSED. ALSO NOTE THAT A PARENTSQUARE EMAIL OR TEXT WILL BE SENT TO A PARENT EVEN WHEN AN ABSENCE CALL HAS BEEN MADE ON THE ATTENDANCE LINE.
Dean of Students' Office Phone: (860) 456-3879 x24368
Fax: (860) 450-0630
Absences and Tardiness
All students who have been absent or who are reporting to school late must report to the Attendance Office for an admission slip. NOTE: A PHONE CALL WILL NOT EXCUSE AN ABSENCE. A student must bring a note to the attendance office OR a parent/guardian must email a note to the Dean of Students to excuse the first nine absences.
Absentee/tardy notes must contain the following to be deemed excused. :
1. The student’s full, printed name
2. The student’s grade, shop, and ID number
3. The date(s) absent or tardy
4. The reasons for tardiness or absence
5. The signature of the parent or guardian and a phone number where they may be reached that day for verification.
Tardiness cannot be accumulated and utilized as the basis for denial of credit, nor can it be utilized for reduction of grade. The attendance policy treats an absence in terms of its effect on academic and skill progress, HOWEVER, tardiness is regarded as a disciplinary problem subject to either classroom or administrative consequences. Habitual tardiness should be seen as a correctable behavior requiring counseling and parental conferences.
3 Tardies=1 administrative detention
5 Tardies=2 administrative detentions
6+ Tardies=90 minute SAIL/ISS
Attendance: Truancy, Course Credit and Chronic Absenteeism
Attendance is one of the most important elements of school and career success. Students with good attendance reach their academic and career goals at a greater rate and stay connected with members of the school community ensuring that support is readily available to address needs and support their success. All CTECS attendance policies and procedures adhere to the Connecticut State Department of Education guidance and the Connecticut General Statutes regarding compulsory attendance, truancy and chronic absenteeism. In addition, CTECS considers attendance to be a course requirement and an excessive number of unexcused absences may result in a loss of credit
Attendance for a School Day
A student is considered to be “in attendance” if present at his/her assigned school or at a school sponsored activity for at least half of the regular school day. “Written documentation” for excused absences includes a signed note from the student’s parent/guardian, a signed note from a school official that spoke in person with the parent/guardian regarding the absence, or a note confirming the absence by the school nurse or a licensed medical professional. Documentation should explain the reason for and length of the absence.
On full length school days, in order for a student to participate in a school extracurricular activity or interscholastic sport, the student must be in school for at least the equivalent of half the scheduled school day (3 hrs, 21 mins).
Excused Absences
A student’s absence from school shall be considered excused if written documentation of the reason for the absence has been submitted within ten (10) school days of the student’s return to school and meets the following criteria:
For absences one through nine, a student’s absences from school are considered excused when the student’s parent/guardian approves such absence and submits written documentation. Acceptable forms of documentation for an excused absence includes a signed note from the student’s parent/guardian, a signed note from a school official that spoke in person with the parent/guardian regarding the absence, or a note confirming the absence by the school nurse or a licensed medical professional. Documentation should provide the reason for and length of the absence.
For the tenth absence and all absences thereafter, a student’s absences from school are considered excused for the following reasons:
• Student illness (Note: all student illness absences must be verified by an appropriately licensed medical professional to be deemed excused, regardless of the length of absence);
• Student mental health wellness day (only two days per year, may not be taken consecutively)
• Student’s observance of a religious holiday;
• Death in the student’s family or other emergency beyond the control of the student’s family;
• Mandated court appearances (additional documentation required);
• The lack of transportation that is normally provided by a district other than the one the student attends (no parental documentation is required for this reason); or
• Extraordinary educational opportunities pre-approved by district administrators and in accordance with Connecticut State Department of Education guidance;
• Parents on active duty: A student whose parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted ten days of excused absences in any school year and, at the discretion of CTECS school administration, additional excused absences to visit the student's parent or legal guardian relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or legal guardian. In the case of excused absences pursuant to this subsection, the student and parent or legal guardian shall be responsible for obtaining assignments from the student's teacher prior to any period of excused absence, and for ensuring that such assignments are completed by the student prior to his or her return to school from such period of excused absence
Unexcused Absences
A student’s absence from school shall be considered unexcused unless they meet one of the following criteria:
A. The absence meets the definition for an excused absence (including documentation requirements); or
B. The absence meets the definition of a disciplinary absence.
Disciplinary Absences
Absences that are the result of school or district disciplinary action are excluded from these definitions. In other words, absences due to out-of-school suspension and expulsion are neither excused nor unexcused absences, but are designated as disciplinary absences and will be reflected as such on a student’s attendance history.
Truancy
A student is considered truant if there are four (4) unexcused absences in one month, or ten (10) unexcused absences in a school year. The school will meet with parents and guardians of students who are identified as being truant no later than ten (10) days after the qualifying absence in order to evaluate the cause of the frequent absences and coordinate interventions. A school referral to the appropriate state or local agency may be made, if the school determines that such a referral is warranted.
Chronic Absenteeism
Whether absences are deemed excused or unexcused, the loss of instructional time can have a negative cumulative effect on student and school performance. Therefore, each school reviews student attendance data to address chronic absenteeism of both individual students as well as the whole school. A student who is absent for any reason for ten percent of the total number of days in the school year (18 days) is considered to be “chronically absent.” A school referral to the appropriate state or local agency may be made, if the school determines that such a referral is warranted.
Notification to Parents/Guardians of a Student's Absence or Tardy
CTECS uses an electronic notification system to notify parents/guardians when a student is absent or tardy. This system uses both phone and email notifications. Parents/guardians provide their phone number and email address where these notifications are sent on the PowerSchool parent portal. In addition, parents/guardians may also receive information about their child’s attendance through direct communication from school personnel.
Tardiness
A student is tardy when he/she arrives late to school or class. Tardiness is regarded as a disciplinary problem subject to either classroom or administrative penalties. Habitual tardiness is a correctable behavior problem requiring counseling and parental conferences. Tardiness cannot be accumulated and utilized as the basis for denial of credit, nor can it be utilized for the reduction of course grade.
Early Dismissal
Students have daily assignments and commitments that are an essential part of the school’s total educational program. Study periods, including those that occur at the end of the school day, are to be used to support the student’s educational program. Parents, guardians and students age 18 or older are expected to schedule medical, dental, and other appointments after school hours. When it is absolutely necessary for a student to be excused, the parent or guardian must send a note to explain the reason for dismissal. Early dismissal for medical or dental appointments should be accompanied with an appointment card.
It is not the school’s policy to dismiss students during school hours. Parents are asked to schedule medical, dental, and other appointments after school hours. Students have daily assignments and commitments that are an essential part of the school’s total educational program and they should not be missed, except for emergencies. When it is absolutely necessary for a student to be excused, the parent must send a note to explain the reason for dismissal. Early dismissal for medical or dental appointments should be accompanied with an appointment card or other verifiable documentation. The written early dismissal request must include the phone number where the parent or guardian may be reached that day, in order that the request may be verified. If the request cannot be verified, the student may not be dismissed.
Any request for early dismissal must be presented in writing to the Dean of Students. Students with requests should report to the attendance office immediately after homeroom. Early dismissal requests may be denied if they negatively impact the educational interest of the student.
In the event of an emergency requiring a student to be dismissed early and a note has not been sent, the parent or guardian must call the Dean of Students and come into the main office to sign the student out.
Attendance as a Requirement Towards Earning Course Credit
Regular attendance by students is a critical aspect of the educational process. Without daily classroom attendance, a student does not receive the benefits of personal interaction with his/her teacher and other students. Ideas are often exchanged which enrich the learning experiences, and research indicates that the mere makeup of assignments and time cannot substitute for actual physical presence and involvement in the classroom.
Furthermore, in order to prepare students for the actual world of work, CTECS expects from its students’ what employers will expect, and thus provides a smooth transition from school to work. CTECS attendance policy is designed to develop in students a sense of responsibility and cooperation.
In order to earn credit in a course for the year, a student may have no more than a total of ten (10) unexcused absences. Denial of course credit is not determined by individual teachers. The educational objectives to be achieved by an attendance policy are as follows:
• Increase attendance;
• Increase punctuality;
• Improve scholastic performance;
• Develop an attitude of cooperation and responsibility in the student;
• Place the responsibility of attendance and punctuality on the students and parents;
• Develop work habits that are beneficial to future employment; and • Develop an awareness of the importance of attendance on the part of both students and parents.
