Attendance Policy

The Emanuel County Board of Education believes that every child of school attendance age should attend school on a regular basis in order to maximize his/her educational opportunities. Students who are absent from school may never regain some of the experiences which take place during their absences. It is the intent of the Board of Education that the Georgia Compulsory School Attendance Law is followed. Every student shall be in attendance each of the scheduled school days for the full-length of the school day. Arriving late or departing early from school are in violation of the Georgia Compulsory School Attendance Law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1). Consequences are set forth in procedures Late Arrival/Early Departure as defined in the Student/Parent Handbook. 

Excused absences are those absences due to the following:

1. Personal illness and whose attendance may be detrimental to the health of themselves or others.

2. Illness or death in the immediate family. The excused illness provision applies to the student’s mother, father, step-mother, step-father, or a blood or legal relative who resides in the student’s household. The excused death provision applies to the above relatives or for the student’s brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, great-grandmother, great-grandfather, aunt, uncle, great-aunt, great-uncle, cousin, niece, or nephew. 

3. Special and recognized religious holidays observed by their faith.

4. Mandated by the order of a governmental agency (such as jury duty or physical exam for the armed services).

5. A student whose parent or legal guardian is in military service in the U.S. armed forces or National Guard and such parent has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting will be granted up to 5 days of excused absences per school year to visit with his or her parent prior to the parent's deployment or during the parent's leave.

6. A student serving as Page to the Georgia General Assembly with appropriate documentation.

7. A student in foster care shall be counted present when they attend court proceedings related to their foster care with appropriate documentation.

8. A student who participates in an activity or program sponsored by 4-H. Upon request from a school principal or the principal's designee, a 4-H representative shall provide documentation as proof of a student's participation in an activity or program sponsored by 4-H.

9. An absence resulting from students visiting prospective colleges if the student receives approval from the school administers prior to the visitation.

10. Any other absence not explicitly defined herein but deemed by the Superintendent or designee to have merit based on circumstances and may be a non-school sponsored activity.

Unexcused absences are all other absences, which are not defined as excused.

Students who are absent from school for excused reasons may have up to a maximum of five (5) absences per year excused by providing a written excuse stating the reason for the absence, signed by the parent or guardian. Additional written parent excuses beyond five (5) will be marked as an unexcused absence. Any absences beyond five (5) per year must be accompanied by medical documentation from a healthcare provider in order to have the absences validated as excused. In the event that funeral/bereavement leave causes a student to miss more than five (5) days per year, a copy of the obituary or verification of funeral attendance should be submitted. All excuses should be submitted within five (5) days of return to school. The excuse must note the reason for the absence.

•  Students in grades K-8 who have more than twenty (20) unexcused absences from school may not be promoted to the next higher grade.

•  Students in grades 9-12 who have more than ten (10) unexcused absences from a semester long course or who have more than twenty (20) unexcused absences from a yearlong course will be reviewed by the School Attendance Hardship Committee.

•  For students receiving special education or related services, the Individualized Education Plan Committee shall serve as the School Hardship Committee. The school administration is responsible for initiating the attendance appeal process for the School Attendance Hardship Committee.

•  Students who have been enrolled in an Emanuel County school for only a portion of the school year, as well as students who may be enrolled in courses that are scheduled for less than a full semester shall have attendance requirements and rules appropriately prorated.

•  Students shall be held accountable for work missed due to absences (i.e. excused, unexcused, or suspended).

Emanuel County Schools will notify the parent, guardian, or other person in charge of the student when the student has accumulated 5 unexcused absences. The notice will be sent via the Student, Kinvolved, or mail and will outline the possible penalty and consequences of such absences and that each subsequent absence will constitute a separate offense. Prior to any action to commence judicial proceedings to impose a penalty for violating O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1 against a parent, guardian or other person residing in this state who has control or charge of a child or children, the school shall notify such parent, guardian, or other person by certified mail, return receipt requested.

Students, and their custodial parent(s) or guardians, are ultimately responsible for attendance and absences; however, school officials may attempt to contact, notify and inform custodial parent(s) or guardians of students who have unusual patterns of absences in any class, for any reason, during a nine-week grading period. Under no circumstances is it acceptable for a student to falsify their attendance records. 

Pre-K students will follow the attendance guidelines provided by Bright from the Start. According to Bright from the Start guidelines, Pre-K students that are absent for ten (10) consecutive days may be dropped from the program.

For purposes of determining perfect attendance, students shall have no tardies to school, no early dismissals from school, and be present on campus all day each school day.

For purposes of determining perfect attendance, students shall have no tardies to school, no early dismissals from school, and be present on campus all day each school day.