Attendance & Tardies

Rationale

Regular and prompt school/class attendance is essential for successful scholastic achievement and other educational experiences.

Hawaii State Compulsory School Attendance Law

The Hawaii revised statutes, Section 302A-1132, states that unless excluded from school or excepted from attendance, all children who will have arrived at the age of at least six years, and who will not have arrived at the age of eighteen years, by January 1st of any school year, shall attend either a public or private school for, and during, the school year, and any parent, guardian, or other person having the responsibility for, or care of, a child whose attendance at school is obligatory shall send the child to either a public or private school.

The State of Hawaii, Department of Education, defines truancy as unauthorized absences from school. Currently section 302A-1135 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes states that if any child of school age persists in absenting oneself from school, the family court judge, upon a proper petition, citation, or complaint being made by the school teacher or any other officer or agent of the department, or police officer, or any other person, shall cause the child, and the father, mother, or guardian, or other person having charge of the child, to be summoned to appear before the judge. Upon its being proved that the person responsible for the child had not used proper diligence to enforce the child’s regular attendance at school, the responsible party shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor.

The following policy is based on the following premise:

• Students need to attend school daily and be in class on time to receive the optimum benefits of school.

• Unexcused and/or excessive absences and tardies are unacceptable and prevent maximum teaching and learning from taking place.

• Attendance is everyone’s responsibility.

While attendance is as much the concern and responsibility of students and parents as it is the school, the school has been delegated the task of administering compulsory attendance in accordance with the law and Department of Education rules and regulations. The attendance policy, therefore, has been created to expedite and comply with this charge. Its success is dependent on each staff member, parent and student thoroughly understanding, adhering to and administering the procedural provision

Definitions

“Absent” means:

The student is not physically present in school or in a scheduled class for more than half of the school day or class period except if the student is on an authorized school activity.

For purposes of reporting Average Daily Attendance (ADA), no distinction should be made between “excused” or “unexcused” absences. For purposes of ADA reporting, students are either present or absent.

Individual schools or teachers, though, may maintain records of “excused” and “unexcused” absences for other purposes. An example of an “excused” absence is when the student is absent from school because of illness or other reason that the school deems valid. Excused absence includes family court hearings, and hearings involving foster children; and medical or dental related reasons with a verifiable note provided by a doctor or dentist.

“Authorized school activity” - “School related” means:

Includes, but is not limited, to:

On-campus activities, such as:

1. Appointments with a counselor or administrator;

2. Treatment in the health room;

3. Assigned detention or in-school suspension.

Off-campus activities, such as:

1. School-related employment, including work-study programs;

2. Community service projects approved by school administrators;

3. Student council related activities, including

a. State or district student councils;

b. Secondary Student Conference (district or state);

c. Student legislative or lobbying activities;

4. Field trips;

5. Early admission programs.

Other activities approved by the principal or designee.

For student attendance purposes, waiver days and other days when school is not in sessions shall not be counted as “authorized school activities.” Students are not considered “present” nor “absent.”

“Present” means: The student is physically present in school for at least half of the school day or is on an authorized school activity. A student is “present” in a scheduled class period when the student is physically present for at least half of that class period or is on an authorized school activity.

Students on home-hospital instruction shall be considered “present” because they are receiving school assignments and doing the class work with a tutor’s assistance. For State and Federal Average Daily Attendance (ADA) reporting purposes all schools will report students as present as long as they are receiving home-hospital instruction.

“School Day” or “Instructional Day” means:

A day when students receive instruction and attendance is taken at school.

“Suspension” means: Exclusion from school for a specific period during a school year. (HAR §8-19-2)

“Tardy” means: A student arrives at school after school has started, or a student arrives at class after class has started, or both. (HAR §8-19-2)

“Truant” means: The student is absent from class(es) or the school campus without authorization from the principal or designee. (HAR §8-19-2)

1. The parent/guardian should call our Attendance Office at 727-3510 when their child is absent from school.

2. The student, regardless of age, is responsible for bringing in a note upon his/her return to school when absent. All letters/documentation must be given to the attendance clerk within two (2) school days of returning to school.

3. The parent note is to be shown to respective teachers to verify absence and teachers will sign the note. After the note has been signed by teachers, the student is responsible to return the note to the Attendance Office .

4. If a student fails to bring a signed note from the parent or guardian within the two (2) allotted days, the absence will be treated as a truancy.

5. Students who miss school are responsible for requesting make-up work and completing that work within a reasonable length of time set by the teacher.

6. In case of personal trips, parents should notify the school as soon as possible prior to the date of travel. Students should make arrangements with their teachers for make-up work prior to departure date.

7. Students who have a prior excuse from teachers to miss classes because of school-related activities will not be marked absent.

8. After three (3) days of absences, doctor’s verification will be required . Parents are encouraged to request homework. If the illness is expected to last two weeks or longer, parents are encouraged to contact the counselor for further assistance.

9. Suspensions of 10 or more days requires substitute educational activities. However automatic F's shall not be given for assignments that students are not allowed to make-up and/or mere physical absence from class.

10. Students who are truant from school or class, automatic F's may be given for work that is missed by the student. Chronic truancies may result in police and family court referrals, and students may also be subject to arrest. Detention or other appropriate disciplinary measures may be used to emphasize the seriousness of unauthorized absences.

1. If a child is absent for three (3) or more consecutive days, the parent/guardian may request for homework by calling the School Office and asking for the call to be transferred to an appropriate counselor: 9th grade counselor, 10th grade counselor, 11th grade counselor, 12th grade counselor. The counselor will inform the teacher of the homework request.

2. A 24/hr notice is needed for teachers when a homework request is made. You may pick up the homework at the front office after 2:30pm of the day following your request. It is highly recommended that you call the office to confirm that there are assignments for your teen BEFORE coming to school.

3. Students are responsible for checking in with their teachers upon return to find out what was missed. Teachers are not required to provide work for unexcused absences,class cuts, or truant days.

• Funeral services for a family member: Copy of the funeral program required

• Doctor/Dentist appointment: Note required

• Family Court appointment: Note from Family Court required

• Illness: Parents/guardians can write up to two notes per quarter for their student if absent for two days due to illness. If the student is ill for three or more days, parents/guardians need to obtain a doctor’s note.

• On-campus (authorized school activity) –“School-related” may include, but is not limited to activities such as:

  • • • Appointments with a counselor or administrator

      • Treatment in the health room

      • Assigned detention or in-school suspension

• Off-campus (authorized school activity) –“School-related” may include, but is not limited to activities such as:

  • • • School related employment, including work-student programs

      • Community service projects approved by school administrators

      • Student Government related activities

      • Field trips

      • Early admission programs

      • Other activities approved by the principal or designee

• Babysitting siblings or other children

• Caring for elderly or family member

• Entertaining visitors/guests

• Kept at home to clean for home inspections

• Family vacations (on/off island) trips*

• Parent request without explanation

• Personal business

• Youth Camp*

• Non-School related Sports competition events/Club competition events*

* NOTE: Parents/guardians should notify the school in writing as soon as plans for any extended absences due to family vacations, youth camps, and/or sports competition events have been made by the parents. The school administration has the discretion to determine if the absences are excused. Absences will be considered unexcused if student academics are adversely affected and/or if attendance is a concern. Parents should make arrangements with school administration to discuss the educational plans while the student is out. Teachers are only required to provide make-up work for excused absences. Phone calls for absences are not considered excused absences. All written notes must be submitted and will be deemed excused absences only if they meet the guidelines of the Attendance Policy.

*Students with excessive unexcused absences may be excluded from extracurricular activities.

Excused Tardies:

• Funeral services for a family member: Copy of the funeral program required

• Doctor/Dentist appointment: Note required

• Family Court appointment: Note from Family Court required

• Student detained by an administrator, counselor, faculty: Note from person who detained the student

• Delayed school bus: Note from attendance clerk

• Unusual weather circumstances: Note from administration

• All other reasons must be reviewed by an administrator before a tardy is excused.

Tardy Enforcement (TE) will be EVERYDAY, EVERY PERIOD:

Students need to be in class and on time, ready to work. It can be extremely disruptive when a student reports to class tardy. Students who are tardy to school will report directly to the attendance clerk. Refer to your teacher’s syllabus to understand your teacher’s expectations of what on-time and ready to work looks like. Should you be chronically tardy; 5 tardies per quarter, per class, to your class, a referral will be sent from your teacher to administration.

The school will conduct schoolwide lockouts and tardy roundups throughout the week. If a student is caught in a Lockout/Tardy Roundup, a 1 hr detention will be assigned.

Examples of Unexcused Tardies:

• Overslept/late start

• Car trouble

• Traffic

• Missed the bus

• Babysitting

• Personal business