Attendance Procedures

Parents/guardians are required to call the school (508-242-8500) or send an email (highschoolattendance@email.medfield.net) the morning of the absence (preferably before the start of classes at 7:40 am). If the parent/guardian does not call, families will be notified via email and/or phone call. If a student is absent for 5 or more consecutive days for the same illness, is admitted to the hospital, or visits the emergency room, official medical documentation is required as well as a check-in with the school nurse upon return to school.

Students attending under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act (Child in Transition) will receive attendance accommodations as determined by their specific needs/circumstances.

Students requesting dismissal must notify the main office prior to their first-period class with the time and reason for dismissal. Students are required to check out at the main office before leaving the building and provide parent/guardian verification (note, phone call, entry into the office).

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

Absences are tracked by individual class as well as daily arrival/departure. There are four academic terms per year.

1. Students are permitted 6 unexcused absences per term.

2. Students are permitted 15 total absences per term, excused or unexcused.

   • If a student exceeds 6 unexcused absences or 15 total absences, credit will be withheld from those specific courses.

   • If a student exceeds 15 absences in a single term, they will not receive a conventional grade for that term. The course will be marked with ‘N’ (No Grade) on the report card for all classes impacted.

   • If a student receives a No Grade (N) in 2 terms of a full-year course or 1 term of a semester course, the final grade will be an N and no credit will be issued.

• Credit recovery options will be made available to students wishing/needing to regain lost credit. These plans are specific to the student’s particular needs, but generally entail spending time with the classroom teacher, making up missed work, remediating lost class time, and adhering to the attendance policy in the subsequent terms.

• Parents/guardians will be notified when a student reaches their fifth unexcused absence in a single term. This may include email notification, phone call, and/or meeting with the Assistant Principal.

• Seniors who exceed 4 unexcused absences/10 total absences during the fourth quarter will not receive credit for that term.

Sample Excused Absences:

1. Medical/dental appointments or verified illness (notification from practitioner due within 5 school days after the absence, and must contain dates of illness/visitation)

2. Court appearances

3. DMV/Registry appointments (license only)

4. Future planning/college visits

5. Religious holiday

6. Chronic illness documented by a treatment provider/primary practitioner/504 or IEP

7. Suspension

8. Extenuating circumstances determined by the administration

9. School field trips

Sample Unexcused Absences

1. Family vacations

2. Job interviews

3. Illness not requiring a doctor’s attention

4. Dismissals (not meeting the above criteria)

5. Tardiness (see Tardiness section)

6. Athletic or extracurricular events (not school affiliated)

7. Missing ten or more minutes of a class without proper verification

NOTE: The administration reserves the right to render the final decision on any attendance matter.

FUTURE PLANNING/COLLEGE VISITATIONS

• Juniors and seniors are eligible for future planning/college visits and are allotted 3 visits per year.

• Students are expected to obtain the Future Planning/College Visit Form prior to their trip.

• Administrative approval is expected for any future planning/college visitation to be excused. The Future Planning/College Visit Form should be signed by an administrator prior to the student’s absence. If approval is not previously attained, the day(s) may be considered unexcused absences.

*Additional dates/visits that are mandatory/non-negotiable components of the admissions process will be considered (auditions, entrance exams, etc.) on a case by case basis, and only with advanced notice.

TARDINESS POLICY AND DEFINITION

• Any student not in their first-period classroom by 7:40 a.m. will be considered tardy. Office detention will result following the third unexcused tardiness per term.

• Unexcused tardiness to any class in excess of ten minutes will result in an unexcused absence from that class.

• Three unexcused class tardies per term may result in a teacher detention.

PENALTIES FOR UNEXCUSED TARDINESS TO SCHOOL (PER TERM)

• The first three tardies to school result in no formal consequences.

• Fourth and subsequent tardies to school result in office detentions (up to the seventh tardy). Students are notified in person on the date of their fourth tardy.

• The seventh and eighth tardy to school will result in Saturday School.

EXCUSED TARDINESS

Situations considered excused for absences will also be excused for tardiness. The administration will also consider exceptional situations as the need arises.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION

Students may not participate in extracurricular activities if any of the following apply:

• The student is absent (not excused) on the day of the activity.

• The student missed more than two class periods if the class absence is not excused. Flex period is considered a class period.

• The student was dismissed from school without parent/guardian verification prior to leaving the building.

• The student was dismissed by the nurse (ineligible for the day of dismissal, and subsequent days prior to returning to school).

• The student self-dismissed without prior approval from administration.

GUIDELINES FOR MAKING UP MISSED WORK DUE TO ABSENCE(S)

• Students are expected to submit classwork prior to an absence when possible and over the course of that absence. If this is not possible, the classwork is expected immediately upon return.

• Students missing class due to tardiness are responsible for submitting/completing work due that day. This includes projects, assignments, tests, and quizzes.

• Students missing class due to dismissal are responsible for submitting/completing required work to the teacher prior to leaving school. This includes projects, assignments, tests, and quizzes.

• ANTICIPATED ABSENCES: Students must coordinate with each individual teacher to obtain work being missed during the projected absence(s). For multi-day absences, students/parents/guardians should contact all teachers in advance to allow for planning and coordination. This includes school-sponsored trips as well.

• UNPLANNED ABSENCES: If a student is absent and was not able to coordinate with their teachers in advance or during the absence, the student is expected to do so immediately upon return to school, whether the class meets that day or not.

EXAMPLES OF UNPLANNED ABSENCES:

Excused absence: If the absence date(s) is/are considered excused, the student will be allocated the same number of days missed to make up assignments and assessments. Verification must be furnished immediately upon return to ensure proper classification of this absence.

Unexcused absence: If the absence date(s) is/are not considered excused, the student may not be allotted additional time to make up missed work. Students are strongly encouraged to communicate with their teachers during the period of their absence and make arrangements prior to their return.

Truancy: Students found to be truant will not be granted make-up opportunities for missed assignments/assessments, and will receive a zero (0) for all missed work; this includes work that was due on the date of the absence.

EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES REGARDING COMPLETING MISSED WORK:

Failure to make up work in the time allotted may result in a zero (0) for that assignment/assessment.

Long-term assignments: If a long-term assignment is due on the day of a student’s absence, the student is expected to submit that assignment on or before the due date when at all possible. If this is not possible, the student must contact the teacher during their absence, and submit assignment/classwork upon returning to school.

Incomplete work due to prolonged illness may be marked “incomplete” on the report card (I). Incomplete work must be made up within ten school days of grades closing if the student is physically able to do so.

In the event of extenuating circumstances, the time necessary to complete the course will be evaluated by the support staff (School Counselors, Administration, RISE program staff) in conjunction with the student’s parent/guardian and physician. A most appropriate plan will be developed for students requiring additional time/support.