Attendance Policy
Philosophy Statement
New York State Education Law requires that the students enrolled in the West Islip School District attend school every day. The educational program offered by this district is predicated upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. The regular contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in a well-planned instructional activity under the tutelage of a competent teacher are vital to this purpose. Absences have a highly adverse effect on the student as well as the entire educational program. Therefore, the Board of Education expects all parents to make every effort for their children to be in attendance.
The Board of Education recognizes that regular school attendance is a major component of academic success. Through implementation of this policy, the Board expects to reduce the current level of unexcused absences, tardiness, and early departures (ATEDs), encourage full attendance by all students, maintain an adequate attendance recordkeeping system, identify patterns of student ATEDs and develop effective intervention strategies to improve school attendance.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the West Islip School District Attendance Policy are as follows:
1. To ensure every student has the opportunity for academic success.
2. To reduce the percentage of students who are chronically absent and/or tardy. Chronic absenteeism or tardiness is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days for any reason.
3. To determine the district’s average daily attendance for State aid purposes.
4. To verify compliance with compulsory education laws.
5. To know the whereabouts of every student for safety and other reasons.
6. To identify attendance patterns to design improvement efforts.
7. To close gaps in student performance.
8. To increase school completion.
Students will be considered in attendance if the student is:
a) Physically present in the classroom or working under the direction of the classroom teacher during the class scheduled meeting time; or
b) Working pursuant to approved independent study program; or
c) Receiving approved alternative instruction.
TYPES OF ABSENCES
Unexcused absences are absences, tardiness, and early departures unrelated to school activities or for which there is no approved submitted documentation. Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to:
o truancy (unlawful absence or irregular attendance)
o family vacation
o cutting class
Students missing school due to an unexcused absence will receive a grading penalty for any classroom work, quizzes or tests.
Excused absences are absences, tardiness, and early departures which include, but are not limited to:
o medical appointment (doctor’s note)
o quarantine
o illness (four or more consecutive absences due to illness require a doctor’s note)
o death in family
o religious observances
o college visitation (to a maximum of three (3) days). Signed documentation and proof of visitation must be provided by the college or university on a duly recognized form generated by the visited school.
Excused absences require written documentation within three days of the student’s return to school. Students will be provided an opportunity to make-up any missed work. Until documentation is received, absences are marked as unknown (UKN). Unknown absences will be converted to unexcused absences after three days if written documentation is not provided. Exempt absences are absences, tardiness, and early departures that are initiated by the school or other sanctioned obligations, including but not limited to:
o pre-scheduled counseling appointment
o authorized school-initiated activity
o in-school suspension; out-of-school suspension
o school-initiated field trips
o pre-scheduled instrumental classes
o pre-scheduled nurse and physical appointments
o attendance at a CSE
o subpoenaed court appearance
o military program
o driver’s road test
On a day on which a student has any excused or unexcused absence, the student may not participate in co-curricular or extracurricular activities outside the school day, including but not limited to athletic practices and games, drama activities, etc.
ATTENDANCE & COURSE CREDIT
Attendance shall be taken each period of instruction, commensurate with rules established by the State Education Department. The course teacher shall make entries into the established system to register attendance and include all absences, tardiness and early departures.
Regular attendance is expected in all classes, and is considered essential for student success for purposes of this policy.
The Board of Education recognizes the important relationship between class attendance and student performance. Consequently, a student’s final grade may be based on classroom participation as well as student performance on homework, tests, papers, projects, etc. Classroom participation means that a student is in class and prepared to work.
Any student who absents himself/herself from more than eighteen classes in a full year course, nine classes in a half year or alternating day course, or twenty-seven classes in a lab course may not receive credit for the course. However, if a student earns a passing grade, credit will not be denied for the course(s). (Note: For seniors, loss of credit could jeopardize graduation.)
Where possible, make-up opportunities will be provided for all students with excused and exempt absences from class according to procedures established by the classroom teacher. Upon completion of the assigned make-up work, the student will be given credit for classroom work. Students will not be able to receive credit for participation if they are not in attendance, with the exception of an exempt absence.
To assure due process, the implementation of this minimal attendance policy will be in accordance with rules and regulations as developed by the administration. Further, the District shall vigorously publicize and disseminate this policy to ensure awareness by faculty, students, and parents/guardians.
SUMMER SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Summer school attendance will follow the 90% guideline set forth in this policy for attendance during the regular school year. A student who has more than three absences will lose credit and be dropped from the course.
BOCES ATTENDANCE
The District will establish criteria for admittance to BOCES programs that are based, in part on student attendance history.
Loss of credit in a BOCES program will be determined by the attendance policy established by Eastern Suffolk BOCES. Continuation in a two-year BOCES program will be determined, in part, by the attendance policy of both the BOCES and the West Islip School District.
APPEALS PROCESS
Should a student or parent/guardian believe that extenuating circumstances exist, an appeal to reverse the loss of course credit may be made directly to the building Principal, whose decision shall be final.
SANCTIONS/INCENTIVES TO BE UTILIZED TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE
SANCTIONS (range of penalties depending on specific attendance violation)
1. Detention
2. In-school suspension
3. Loss of eligibility for extracurricular activities
4. Suspension of parking and lunch privileges (seniors)
5. Loss of course credit (including refusal of summer school)
To ensure that parents and students are aware of the implication of the District’s minimum attendance policy, the teacher and other appropriate school personnel will counsel the student, and contact the student’s parents by mail and/or phone, at appropriate intervals prior to the student absenting themselves out of the course.
When a student cuts class or is absent, tardy, or departs early without proper excuse, parents will be notified.
Notification of Class Absences
Daily Attendance
Parents will be notified daily of any absence via an automated phone from the student management system.
At-Risk for Chronic Absenteeism and/or Tardiness
A letter will be sent home to parents notifying them that the student is at the first level of absences and at-risk for chronic absenteeism by missing 5% or more of school. The number of days is prorated throughout the year with no more than nine throughout the entire school year. Student will be referred to the building Response to Intervention Team to discuss appropriate interventions and possible actions. Contact and follow up with be conducted with the student and parent.
Chronic Absenteeism and/or Tardiness
A letter will be sent home to parents notifying them that the student is at the first level of absences and at-risk for chronic absenteeism by missing 10% or more of school. The number of days is prorated throughout the year with no more than eighteen throughout the entire school year. Student will be referred to the building Response to Intervention Team to discuss appropriate interventions and possible actions. Parent and student meeting is required to develop an action plan for student success
Loss of Credit
Parents will be notified in writing should any student absent himself/herself from more than eighteen classes in a full year course, nine classes in a half year course or alternating day course, or twenty-seven classes in a lab course, stating the student will not receive credit for the course. However, if a student earns a passing grade, credit will not be denied for the course(s). Students will have five days from the receipt of the Loss of Credit Letter to appeal a loss of credit from class. The appeal is required to be in writing to the principal and will be referred to the appeals committee.
CUTTING
Cutting is an unauthorized absence from a class. Cutting classes will not be tolerated. When it has been determined that a student has cut a class, it is a disciplinary problem and will be dealt with promptly. Cuts are broken down in the following manner for punishment:
· Cutting the regular teacher, but remaining in the school building – 1 detention for each period missed.
· Cutting a substitute and remaining in school – double punishment.
· Cutting class and leaving the school building – ISS assigned.
1st cut – Teacher talks to the student to ascertain whether the absence was a cut. The teacher contacts the parent by telephone and sends a discipline slip to the office. In general, a student will be assigned detention, even for a 1st cut, unless extenuating circumstances apply.
Subsequent cuts – Teacher talks to the student to ascertain whether the absence was a cut. The teacher contacts the parent by telephone as frequently as possible for subsequent cuts, and detentions are assigned. Continued cuts will result in suspensions, at which point an administrator will discuss the situation with the parent.
TRUANCY
Truancy is the unlawful late arrival or absence from school of which parents are unaware. Students are expected to arrive to school in time for first period each day, or bring in a note from the parent to substantiate the reason for the lateness. Truancy will result in the same manner of corrective action as class cuts. However, students who come to school in the morning and leave again are considered cutting and out of the building, an offense punishable by in school suspension.
Lateness to School
Students who are late to school three times will be assigned a principal’s detention. Students who continue to arrive late to school will receive additional consequences, which can include double detention and in-school-suspension.