Dana Johnson
1st Grade Teacher
Ranchwood Elementary
“Good school attendance is not only crucial for academic success but it's an enormous factor for building social and emotional skills.”
Ella Jacoby
Senior Student
Yukon High School
"Show up and thrive, you never know what path you'll fall into"
Carla Smith
Principal
Skyview Elementary
"Regular attendance is an integral part of the learning process, both academically and socially. You can't make up all the learning opportunities missed with poor attendance."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Chronic Absenteeism?
In accordance with Oklahoma Statute and Yukon Public Schools policies, students who miss more than 17 days in a school year are considered "chronically absent” for the school year. A student who misses 10% of the total number of days of school in session are considered “chronically absent” Chronic absences are a violation of Oklahoma's Compulsory Attendance Laws and can lead to truancy, fines, community service, and other consequences for both parents/guardians and students. A reminder that according to Oklahoma policies all absences regardless of reason are counted in the total amount of absences per student. This includes absences that were verified by a parent and/or an absence with documentation.
What is Truancy or Educational Neglect?
A student is considered truant/unexcused when absent from the classroom without the knowledge or permission of either the school or the parent for an acceptable reason. If a student is absent from school four (4) or more days or parts of days within a four (4) week period without a valid documented excuse or is absent without a valid documented excuse for ten (10) or more days or parts of days during a semester, the school principal will notify the parent/guardian of the child and immediately report such absences to the District Attendance Officer who may report such absences to Canadian County Juvenile Authorities for juvenile proceedings pursuant to 70 O.S. § 10-105. Students who ‘skip’ school without knowledge of parent or school personnel could receive disciplinary actions from the school as well as a citation from the school resource officer.
Yukon Public Schools may also file Educational Neglect against a parent and/or student for excessive absences/tardies. Educational Neglect citations with the city of Yukon will be issued from the District Attendance Officer and Yukon Police Department. Educational Neglect is defined as the child failing to attend school due to a pattern of failure to ensure the child is enrolled in, allowed to attend, assisted in attending school, or provided other means of education.
What do I do when my student is absent?
It's simple! Just notify the school.
If the absence is for medical reasons, be sure to get a doctor's note and turn it in upon returning to school. If the absence is for court, funeral, military, religious, 4H, college days (11th/12th only), a note will be required to excuse the absence.
Absence Definitions
Excused Absence:
Verified absences for illness, personal injury, medical/dental appointments, court appearances, religion, 4H, college days (11th/12th only), funeral, or approved school-sponsored activities. A note will be required except school sponsored activities.
Parent Verify:
Parents/guardians should notify respective school of their student’s absence. When a parent notifies the school of the absence it will be considered a parent verified absence (PV). To be considered an excused absence by state law 70 O.S. § 10-105 documentation must be provided to the student’s school and approved from the list of reasons listed above.
Truancy:
Intentional, unjustified, unauthorized, deliberate absence by a student's own free will
Chronic Absenteeism:
Missing 10% or more of the school year regardless of excused or unexcused
Tardy:
6-12: arriving in class up to 10 minutes past the start time of each period
PK-5: arriving 59 minutes after the school beginning time.
What do the codes in PowerSchool mean?
‘Blank’ =Present | A=Absent, Unverified | T=Tardy | PV=Parent Verified | ACT=Activity | MED=Medical | SPS=Special Services Paperwork | FTP=Field Trip | CLV=College Visit | MLT=Military | SCS=School Community Service | ISI=I.S.I. | OSS=Suspension | BER=Bereavement | CRT=Court/Legal | OFF=Office | REL=Religious | HBD=Homebound | SCP=State Competition | CNS=Counseling | SWE=Severe Weather Excused | DVP=Distance Learning Present | DVA=Distance Learning Absent HDA=Half Day Absent
What do I do if my student is arriving late to school?
PK-6: A parent or guardian will need to walk the student into the school and check in with the office. The student will be provided a tardy slip to class.
7-12: The student will need to physically check in with the office and receive a tardy slip to class.
How do I check my student out early?
Safety is the number one priority of our District. A valid ID is required to verify parent/guardian status, custodial versus non-custodial status, and to ensure enforcement of all legal documents.
Students shall only be released from schools to a parent or guardian unless the parent or guardian has provided the District/school with permission for authorizing the release of the student to a third party.
The staff of Yukon Public Schools will never release a student to an unidentified person.
Why do I need a valid ID to check out my own child?
Elementary and Middle School Students: A parent or guardian will need to check the student out from the front office in person. A valid ID will be required.
High School Students: To save time we highly encourage you to use the school messenger app (attendance tab) to check out your student. Phone verification can take longer. A little tip: check out your students on the app during the passing period or their lunch hour and they can meet you in the office or outside. We highly encourage students to be checked out during this time as this prevents class interruptions.
You can also come into the attendance office and check out at the kiosk machine with your government ID and sign out your student. Once your information is verified we will call your student out from their class and they can meet you in the office. Please do not text your student over and over as it can interrupt students in their class. Students are not allowed to walk out of the classroom.
Rethink period students are not allowed to be out of their classrooms. Tuesdays & Thursdays we follow a different bell schedule. So please know passing periods are different on those mornings.
How long until make-up work is due after absence(s)?
When a student is absent for any reason, all work must be made up. It is the responsibility of the student on the day of return to make arrangements to get all needed work. The student is permitted the number of days to make up work equal to the number of days absent, and that work is granted full credit earned. Long term assignments must be turned in on time with the exception of an assignment which is made during the time a student is absent from school. Any exception to this timeline can be made only by the building principal, and only for extenuating reasons that can be substantiated. If a student is absent for three (3) or more consecutive days, please call the counselor’s office to make arrangements for picking up make-up work. Teachers are given 24 hours notice to put together necessary make-up work.
Lengthy absences which fall into other categories must be verified by a note or telephone call to the principal from a parent/guardian. The principal will then allow the student to ask his/her teachers for assignments in advance. When it is possible for teachers to produce lessons before the student absences occur, those assignments are due upon the student’s return to school. If the student receives the assignments upon their return, they would have one (1) day for each day missed to collectively turn in missed work. Any variance will be at the principal’s discretion.
What do I do if my student has a chronic illness, traumatic injury, or emergency situation that prevents them from coming to school?
Please contact your student’s school as soon as possible so that we may support you and your student in getting their education however we can.
Yukon High School No Credit Policy
For 9-12 grades a No Credit (NC) for the semester will be given to a student who exceeds eight (8) absences per class during the semester. A student is marked absent if they miss fifteen minutes (15) or more of class.
The school will provide notification to the parent/guardian any time a student is to receive NC due to attendance. In the event the student’s grade is failing, an “F” will be recorded. The NC may be appealed by documenting each absence and emailing the assistant principal at attendanceappeals@yukonps.com within one (1) week of posting of semester grades or report cards
Yukon High School Semester Exams and Exemptions Policy
All high school students are required to take comprehensive semester tests each semester of the school year. Semester tests will count 20% of the semester grade.
If a student has been assigned ISI or OSS, they will not be exempt from any semester tests.
No student will be allowed to take a test prior to the scheduled time and day. In extenuating circumstances, make-up tests may be taken after the time and day of the scheduled test.
Semester Exemptions:
All Students (9th-12th)
Students may exempt a semester test if they have...
an 85% or better in the course.
no more than 5 absences in the class.
The following attendance codes count against the semester test exemption policy:
PV, A, MED, DVA/DVP
Distance Learning/Virtual Attendance
If there are any issues for consistent attendance it is vital for you to contact your instructor and/or the principal of your school’s virtual school prior to you missing coursework.
Students enrolled in virtual school must complete no less than 80% of their instructional activities each week to be counted 'present'. Instructional activites may include online curriculum or programs, offline activities, completed assignments, testing, face-to-face communications or meetings with school personnel via teleconference, videoconference, email or phone.