CGBAF - Duties of Attendance Director

File:  CGBAF

Duties of Attendance Director

            The Department of Attendance shall be comprised of one attendance director who shall diligently promote regular school attendance.  He/she shall ascertain reasons for inexcusable absences from school or pupils of compulsory school age as defied under the West Virginia Law and shall take such steps as are in his/her discretion, best calculated to correct attitudes of parents and pupils which result in absences from school even though not clearly in violation of the law.

            The county attendance director shall diligently promote regular school attendance.  He/she shall ascertain reasons for inexcusable absences from school of pupils of compulsory school age as defined under this article, and shall take such steps as are best calculated to correct attitudes of parents and pupils which result in absences from school even though not clearly in violation of law.

            If it is found that absences from school is in violation of law, the attendance director in the case of first offense that school year, shall serve written notice to the parent, guardian, or custodian of such child that the attendance of such child at school is required, and if the parent, guardian, or custodian does not comply with the provisions of this article, then the attendance director shall make complaint against such parent, guardian or custodian before a justice of the peace of the county.  The summons to appear before the justice of the peace may be served upon the parent, guardian, or custodian by the county attendance director or by an officer qualified to serve such summons.

            When any doubt exists as to the age of a child absent from school, the attendance director shall have authority to require a properly attested birth certificate or an affidavit from the parent, guardian, or custodian of such child, stating age of such child.  The county attendance director shall, in the performance of his/her duty, have authority to take without warrant any child absent from school in violation of the provisions of this article and to place such child in the school in which such child is or should be enrolled.

            The county attendance director shall be responsible under direction of the county Superintendent for the efficient administration of school attendance in his county.  In addition to those duties directly relating to the administration of attendance, the county attendance director shall also perform the following duties:

a.       Advise with principals and teachers on the comparison of school census and enrollment for the detection of possible non-enrollees;

b.      Cooperate with existing state and federal agencies charges with enforcement of child labor laws;

c.       Prepare a report for submission by the county Superintendent to the sate Superintendent of schools on school attendance, at such times and in such detail as may be required; also, file with the county Superintendent and County Board of Education at the close of each month a report showing activities of the school attendance office and the status of attendance in the county at the time;

d.      Promote attendance in the county by the compilation of data for schools and by furnishing suggestions and recommendations for publication through school bulletins and the press, or for such purposes as the county Superintendent my direct;

e.       Participate in school functions such as parent-teacher associations civic meetings, club meetings, and teachers’ conferences;

f.       Assist in such other ways as the county Superintendent may direct for improving school attendance.

Reference:  School Laws of West Virginia, 18-8-4

Adopted:  July 1976

Clay County Board of Education