A. EXCUSED ABSENCE 

1. Excused Absences 

State law establishes conditions under which any child may be excused from attendance  at school. In keeping with these statutes and recommendations of the State Department  of Education, students in the Springfield Schools may be excused temporarily from  school attendance for the following reasons: 

a) Sickness 

b) Quarantine 

c) Death in the immediate family 

d) Inclement weather that would endanger the health of the child or make  roads impassable 

e) For observance of a major religious holiday - In instances of requests to be  excused from school attendance for observance of a religious holiday, the  school administration shall excuse absences only for those days on the list of  major religious holidays published by the State Department of Education. 

f) Student educational workshop/seminar/visit (college visit, student presentation,  etc.) with the approval of Administration: 

• Failure to receive prior approval for such trip may result in the absence  from school being regarded as unexcused 

• Advanced approval required 

• Student must be in good academic standing and attendance 

• It is the student's responsibility to make up completely any  

required assignments missed during such trip. 

• It is also the student's responsibility to submit all assignments to  

the appropriate teacher upon return to school. 

g) Family Vacations -Students are excused five (5) days maximum per year • Excused family vacation days are counted as excused absences and are  subject to the procedures for 10 cumulative days or more. (See section C) 

h) For other exceptional reasons with the approval of Administration 

State law requires a written explanation from the parent/guardian in each instance of school absence, lateness, or early dismissal. Parents are requested to notify the school  of the student's absence prior to the start of the school day. In the event a call is not  received, a school representative may attempt to contact the parents to confirm that the  child is legitimately absent. 

2. Communication and Documentation 

a) In cases where the school administration believes that absences due to illness  are chronic or irregular, the school administration may request a physician's statement certifying that such absences are medically justified.

b) Absences must be reported to the appropriate school's attendance office to  ensure student safety. In addition, written notes are required. Notes must be  submitted within 3 days after return from an absence. The absence of any  student failing to comply with this time period will automatically become unexcused and the school laws of Pennsylvania shall be applied accordingly.

 c) The School Attendance Register, Department of Public Instruction, is the official  manual on matters of ATTENDANCE 

d) Absences for a portion of the school day and tardiness will be considered on a  cumulative basis and may translate into equivalent days. Unexcused absences  shall include absences which result from parental neglect and illegal employment. 

Springfield School District 

3. Make Up Work 

a) Students will be permitted to make-up work missed during periods of excused  absences only. Students should make prior arrangements with teachers prior to field  trips. 

b) Students will be permitted one (1) school days for each day of excused absence to  make-up schoolwork missed during the period of absence. For absences in excess  of five (5) school days, alternate arrangements may be made with individual  teachers. The same time line applies to homework. 

c) Students who do not make-up work in the approved time period, shall forfeit the right  to receive academic credit for work missed during the period of absence. d) Any student whose absence is unexcused or who cuts a class shall have no opportunity to make-up the schoolwork missed. 

B. UNEXCUSED ABSENCES 

1. Unexcused Absences 

It is important for parents to realize that other reasons for missing school, such as those  listed below, will result in an unexcused absence or lateness. This list includes but is  not limited to: 

a) Oversleeping 

b) Missing the bus 

c) Babysitting 

d) Shopping 

                        e) Participating in private hobbies, lessons, or non-school sponsored activities/competitions 

f) Studying for an examination or preparing a term paper 

g) Habitual car problems 

h) Family vacations that are not pre-approved or exceed the excused five (5)  days 

i) Unauthorized or unsubstantiated college visitations 

Absences not listed above or approved on a special basis by the school administration shall be unexcused. After 3 or more unexcused absences a student will be  considered truant (See Administrative Regulations for Unexcused Absences  Procedures). 

Students who are absent have three (3/ school days after their return to submit a  written absence note to the attendance office in order to have the absence excused.  Failure to do so will result in having that absence permanently coded as  unexcused. 

2. Missed Work Due to Unexcused Absence 

The student will NOT be permitted to make up classwork or assignments, or receive  credit for tests, quizzes, or work missed due to the unexcused absence.

Springfield School District 

C. ATTENDANCE NOTIFICATION 

The following procedures shall be followed in administering the Springfield School  District's attendance procedures in regard to absences: 

1. Students who are absent more than 5 consecutive days or 10days cumulatively require a doctor's note to excuse the absence. 

2. The parents/guardians of students who miss 10 cumulative days or more,  regardless of the nature of the absences shall be notified in writing of the  student's absence record. 

3. A parent/guardian conference may be requested by the administration when a  student has missed a total of 15 days regardless of the nature of the absences. 4. Excessive absences may result in administrative recommendations regarding grade  retention or other action, which may be made in writing to the Superintendent. 

D. LATENESS TO SCHOOL 

Every lateness will be UNEXCUSED unless the student comes to school with an  acceptable excuse note from the parent or guardian. (See reasons listed in the Excused  Absences paragraph for which students may be temporarily excused from school  attendance). Unexcused lateness's (10 or more) may result in administrative  recommendations regarding grade retention or other action, which may be made in  writing to the Superintendent. 

1. Elementary Level 

At the elementary level, accrued school time missed due to excessive lateness or  early dismissals may be treated in equivalence to days of absence, which would be  counted into the total absences. 

2. Middle School Level 

At the middles school level, three tardies will amount to disciplinary action in the form  of detention. Frequent lateness's may result in Saturday school, a parent  conference, or other disciplinary action. 

3. High School Level 

At the high school level, three tardies will amount to disciplinary action in the form of  detention. Frequent lateness's will result in disciplinary action as assigned by  administrator. 

E. ABSENCES AND TARDIES AS RELATED TO EXTRACURRICULARACTIVITIES 

1. In order to participate in or attend any after-school activities (sports practices or  contests, play rehearsals or performances, concerts, proms, etc.), a student must be  in attendance during the entire school day on which that activity takes place.

2. An unexcused absence on the day prior to a weekend or holiday activity will cause  the student to be excluded from participating in any extracurricular activity during that  weekend or holiday. 

 3. Emergency or extraordinary situations must be cleared with the appropriate school  administrator. 

F. TRUANCY 

1. Frequent or prolonged absence, without satisfactory reason, or willful violation of the  compulsory attendance laws, shall be handled in conformity with the procedures stated  in the Pennsylvania School Code. (See appropriate grade level procedures)

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