Attendance

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE (Taken from Parent/Student Handbook)

Regular attendance and punctuality is one of the most significant aspects of academic success and is a highly regarded standard at Trinity Lutheran School that is both required and expected of all students. Poor attendance (absences and tardiness) interferes with a student’s learning and citizenship, and, therefore, directly affects any student’s level of achievement. Excessive unexcused absences and tardiness as determined by school administration may result in disciplinary action and a formal meeting to determine the underlying cause of poor attendance. Students are expected to attend at least 85% of the scheduled school days (present for more than 50% of the school day constitutes a single day’s attendance). Failure to meet this standard may result in the student needing to repeat the grade level or being dismissed from Trinity Lutheran School.

ABSENCES (K - 8) Examples of excused absences include:

• Illness of the student (doctor’s note required after 3 consecutive days of absence due to illness)

• Death in the family

• Legal obligations

• Medical appointments (please make every effort to make routine medical appointments, such as dental cleanings, for days your child is not scheduled to attend school)

• Special family emergencies

A phone call, email or Class Dojo message to the school office from a parent/legal guardian is required for an absence to be considered for excuse. To report an absence, call 808-621-6033 and press 9. At the tone, state the student’s name, grade and reason for absence. You may also email office@tls-hawaii.org with this same information. Teachers are not to be contacted directly by parents/legal guardians concerning absences. A phone call or email will not automatically excuse an absence; the cause or reason for the absence determines its ‘excused’ or ‘unexcused’ status and is, ultimately, up to the discretion of the Principal.

All other absences are considered unexcused. Vacations are not considered excused absences, even if the school office has been notified in advance, and teachers are not obligated to create work either in advance or upon return of a vacation. We encourage families to take advantage of our intersession and summer breaks to schedule vacations so that student learning is not interrupted and student performance and grades are not negatively affected. 

If a student is absent for three or more days without excuse, the student is considered truant and further action may be taken according to Hawaii State Compulsory Attendance Law. 

Participation in extracurricular activities such as athletics requires attendance for at least four hours that day.

Parents/guardians must phone the Office or provide written permission by 9am if a student will be leaving campus before dismissal.  A parent/guardian listed on the child’s approved pick-up list must sign the child out at the Office. If returning the same day, students must check in with the office upon return to the campus.

TARDINESS (K - 8)

The Tardy Bell rings at 7:50 AM. Students are expected to be in their seats and ready to learn by this time. 

Tardies cannot be excused. Students who arrive after 7:50 a.m. must report to the school office to receive a pass to enter class. If a student is more than 15 minutes tardy, a note or phone call from the parent should accompany the child to explain the circumstances. Tardies may be issued up to 3 hours past the time school starts. Students who are 3.5 hours or more late will be marked absent. 

Five tardies is equivalent to one unexcused absence.

Discipline for Tardiness:

• Three (3) or more tardies within the same week will result in an email being sent home to notify parents/guardians and asking for the situation to be rectified.

• The next time the student incurs three (3) or more tardies within same week in the same quarter, an email will be sent home to notify parents/guardians, asking for the situation to be rectified and requiring the parent/guardian to pay a $20 fine OR the student to attend detention on the following Monday from 2:45 - 3:30 p.m. (Note: athletics and other extracurricular activities will NOT be an excuse for non-attendance at detention if this option is chosen) 

• Should a student continue to be tardy three (3) or more times within the same week in the same quarter, an email will be sent home to notify parents/guardians, asking for the situation to be rectified and requiring the parent/guardian to pay a $20 fine AND the student to attend detention on the following Monday from 2:45 - 3:30 p.m. (Note: athletics and other extracurricular activities will NOT be an excuse for non-attendance at detention if this option is chosen); in addition, an administrator will meet with the family to determine the cause of the excessive tardiness and create an improvement plan

• Extreme tardiness, as determined by school administration, may result in formal meetings, additional fines, or dismissal from Trinity Lutheran School.