The Connecticut State Board of Education, effective July 1, 2012, adopted definitions of excused and unexcused absences. These definitions are for use by all Connecticut school districts and schools for the purpose of carrying out the provisions in Connecticut General Statute 10-198a and the reporting of truancy. This legislation will require the Ledyard Middle School to adjust some practices in how we report truancy. The state defines excused absences as follows: Parents/Guardians can excuse up to nine (9) student absences when the “parent/guardian approves such absence and submits appropriate documentation, i.e., a written note.”
Any absences beyond 9 are considered excused for the following reasons:
Student illness. This must be verified by an appropriately licensed medical professional, regardless of the length of the absence;
Student's observance of a religious holiday;
Death in the student's family or other emergency beyond control of the student's family;
Mandated court appearance. This must be verified with written documentation; ∙ The lack of transportation that is normally provided by a district other than the one student attends;
Extraordinary educational opportunities pre-approved by the district's administration and in accordance with Connecticut State Department of Education’s guidance; please note that family vacations are also deemed as unexcused absences unless they meet this criterion.
Student absences that are the result of the school or district disciplinary action are excluded from the definition of excused or unexcused absences.
Under these definitions, parents are required to submit written documentation for an absence to be excused. This means that a phone call without timely, written follow-up will automatically be coded as unexcused. Unexcused absences are considered to be any absences that do not meet the above definition or for which the appropriate documentation has not been submitted.
Absence Procedures
Regular school attendance is essential to student success. Students who attend school consistently are more likely to achieve academic success, build positive relationships, and participate fully in the life of the school. Students are expected to attend school every day, arrive on time, and remain in school for the entire instructional day unless excused by a parent/guardian or school administrator.
Attendance is recorded each school day and is maintained in accordance with Connecticut State Department of Education regulations and Ledyard Board of Education policy.
Reporting: If a student will be absent, a parent/guardian must notify the school as early as possible on the day of the absence. Notification should include:
Student's full name
Grade level
Reason for the absence
Name of the parent/guardian reporting the absence
Parents should follow the school's designated attendance reporting procedures. Reporting can be completed via parent note or phone call or message.
Excused vs. Unexcused Absences
Any absence within the first NINE (9) are excused with parent notification, however, AFTER the first NINE (9) comes the difference between Excused and Unexcused.
Examples of excused absences may include:
Student illness
Medical, dental, or counseling appointments
Religious observances
Death in the immediate family
Court appearances
Approved educational activities
Other circumstances approved by the school administration
Absences not meeting the criteria established by state law or Board policy may be considered unexcused.
Chronic Absenteeism
The school closely monitors student attendance. Families may be contacted when attendance patterns become a concern, including excessive absences, repeated tardiness, or frequent early dismissals.
When appropriate, school staff may:
Meet with students and parents/guardians.
Develop an attendance improvement plan.
Refer the student to the school's attendance support process or Social Work Team.
Follow all Connecticut attendance laws and Ledyard Board of Education policies regarding chronic absenteeism with possible referral for services.
Truancy
Under Connecticut law, truancy is defined as unexcused absences from school without the knowledge or approval of a parent/guardian or school officials. A student between the ages of 5 and 18, inclusive, is considered truant after accumulating four (4) unexcused absences in one month or ten (10) unexcused absences during a school year.
Parents/guardians play an important role in supporting regular school attendance and are expected to work collaboratively with school staff to prevent and address truancy. In accordance with Connecticut law, school personnel are required to monitor attendance and may be mandated to report excessive absences or concerning attendance patterns.
Excessive absenteeism may result in school-based interventions and may affect a student's academic progress, including consideration for grade retention when appropriate. In addition, students may lose eligibility to participate in extracurricular or after-school activities as outlined in school and district policies.
After a student has accumulated ten (10) excused absences, documentation verifying the reason for any subsequent absences may be required in accordance with Connecticut law and Board of Education policy.
Tardiness to School
Students are expected to be in their assigned homeroom classroom and ready to learn when the school day begins.
Students arriving after the start of the school day must report to the Main Office to sign in before going to class. Repeated tardiness disrupts learning and may result in school interventions or disciplinary consequences (i.e. referals).
A student is tardy to school if they fail to report to their homeroom by 7:42.
Dismissal During School Hours
Whenever possible, medical appointments and other personal business should be scheduled outside of school hours.
Students leaving school before the end of the school day must:
Present a parent/guardian request when appropriate (NOTE)
Sign out and be dismissed through the Main Office.
Be picked up by a parent/guardian or an individual authorized by the parent/guardian.
Students may not leave campus without permission from the Main Office.
Arrival at School
Students should not arrive or enter the building before 7:30am. The school doors will be locked until 7:30. Upon arrival students should report to the cafeteria for breakfast, media center or prepare for the opening of the school bell to ring at their lockers and report to homeroom. Students are not permitted to roam and walk others to class. Students cannot leave school grounds once they have arrived. After 2:05, only students who have official school business or who are participating in supervised activities should be in the building and must be checked in with the main office or the teacher they are staying with. There is no late bus provided for students.
Attendance and Co-Curriculars
A student who is absent from school more than a half day (3 hours) will not be permitted to participate in any after school co-curricular activities that day (arrival by 10:45am) If a student receives a suspension, the student may not participate in or attend any activity from the time the suspension is given until the end of the suspension. Exceptions to this policy may be made by the administration as needed.
Family Vacations
Family vacations should coincide with scheduled vacations on our school calendar. Extended or different vacations are not in keeping with school policy. Parents are expected to cooperate in the matter.
In the event that time must be taken, a note must be sent to the principal. Advance assignments are not in keeping with school policy; therefore students are responsible for missed work and must confer with teacher(s) upon return to school for missed assignments.
Make Up Work
Students are responsible for making up all missed assignments, assessments, and classwork due to an absence. Teachers will provide reasonable opportunities for students to complete missed work based on the length of the absence and classroom expectations.
Students who have been absent for an extended period due to illness or other circumstances should work with their teachers, school counselor, and administration to develop a plan for completing missed work.
Leaving School Grounds
Once students arrive at school, they must remain until such time as the students are released for the day. If students leave the school grounds during normal school hours, parents and/or the police will be notified as needed.