Attendance and Tardy Policy

Dixie High School believes that consistent and prompt attendance will greatly increase a student’s opportunities to gain a meaningful and quality education. It has been shown that frequent tardiness and absenteeism have a negative impact on student learning as well as a disruptive effect on classroom instruction. Dixie High School supports the following Washington County School Board approved academic participation principles:

• Regular attendance, classroom participation, and study

• Reasonable class participation in evaluating student progress

• Regular and consistent social interaction in the classroom and student participation in well-planned instructional activities under the direction of competent teachers.

Washington County School District Policy 2900 says that for excusing absences (Section 3.3.1 and 3.3.2), parents should excuse prior to the student missing (for non-illnesses). For illnesses and family emergencies, excuses should happen in a reasonable time frame, but not to exceed one week after the absence.

Students must check out of school through the attendance office. A parent must either call the office or the attendance office must call the student’s home to verify the student has permission to leave. Students will not be allowed to check out of school and remain on campus.

Parents and legal guardians are permitted, by Washington County School District policy, to excuse tardies for 1st and 5th periods only. Parents are expected to call the school attendance secretary at 435-673-4682 to excuse their child’s absence from class within one week from the absence or tardy. We encourage parents/guardians to pick up a DHS Educational/Family Leave Form from the attendance secretary if the student will be absent for more than three days. Parents/Guardians will be asked to meet with DHS Administration to resolve significant attendance issues. 

Attendance in each class period gets marked according to the following time periods:

• Tardy (T) is from 0-20 minutes late (or 0-25% of the class period)

• Way Late (W) is from 20-40 minutes late (or 25-50% of the class period)

• Absent (X) is after 40 minutes (or 50% of the class period)

Absences

• At 5 absences and failing grades, a teacher will contact parents and student about the concern. 

• At 7 absences and failing grades, an email/letter will be sent to parents by an administrator or counselor to discuss the concern and possible solutions.  

• At 9 absences and failing grades, a 2nd email is sent to parents, student/parents are required to meet with administration to discuss solutions/alternative placements.  

• At 11+ absences and with a failing grade, students will fail the class and may be transferred to an online version of that class immediately to recover the credit, students will have to pay the $40 fee for credit recovery. 

• Appropriate administrative action for truancies which may consist of in-school suspension or other consequence as deemed appropriate by the administration.

Tardies: A student is considered tardy if he/she is not in the classroom when the tardy bell rings. Total tardies, per class, will result in the following:

• 5 Tardies -- Teacher emails/calls home to discuss the tardy problem

• 7 Tardies -- Admin email/calls home to discuss tardy problems and consequences

• 10 Tardies --  Parent/Admin meeting/appropriate administrative action (i.e. in-school suspension) 

Teachers will often, if not always, have bell work assignments at the beginning of each class period. Being tardy to any class may result in the forfeiture of these points. It is up to teacher discretion as to whether or not these points can be made up. Bell work points will not exceed 10% of a student’s final grade.