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- Attendance Policy
Our Attendance Policy
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Students are expected to be in all classes and to make daily attendance a top priority. Only through consistent attendance and class participation do students achieve the benefits of the educational program. Students and their parents/guardians are asked to consider the impact of participating in several activities that may require numerous school absences due to competition or major travel. The Iowa City Community School District has outlined policies for the expressed purpose of encouraging regular attendance practices on the part of students. These guidelines are described below.
Parents/Guardians can assist in providing the best possible educational experience for the student by only asking to excuse their child from school in cases of emergency or illness; not for conducting business that can be completed on weekends or outside of school time. Therefore, please be aware that parent requests to excuse an absence will not always be granted.
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Tardies
Arriving on time to school and all classes is as important as being in school daily. Arriving late to a class causes students to miss important instructional time and can be disruptive to the class already in session.
Students arriving within the first 19 minutes of class without an approved excuse/pass will be marked tardy (T) on Infinite Campus.
Students arriving more than 19 minutes after the start of class without an approved excuse/pass will be marked unexcused absence (UA).
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Excused Absences
An excused absence is one in which school officials have approved the parents request to excuse an absence.
Acceptable reasons for an absence might include:
- Evidence that the student is not in proper physical or mental condition to attend school or an educational program. The district may request the parent or guardian to obtain a written statement from a physician or licensed practitioner as proof of the physical or mental condition of the student. Such excuses shall be made in writing, shall state the time period for which it is valid, and shall not exceed 30 days.
- Medical, dental, chiropractic, optometric, or other valid appointments. Parents should provide documentation from the provider. If possible, routine appointments should be scheduled off school hours.
- A death in the immediate family, or funerals for close relatives.
- Religious holidays.
- Family trips that can be taken only during the normal school term. A parent/guardian must notify the school attendance officer of the pending absence. The administrator will verify the student’s attendance record and overall performance record. If attendance is satisfactory, the administrator may approve the use of up to five of the allotted excused absence days per year for family trips.
- A court appearance, placement, or other legal procedure which requires the attendance of the student.
- A quarantine as imposed by a public health officer.
- Attendance at special events of educational value, or school activities approved by the school administrator.
- Special circumstances that show good cause which the school attendance officer approves of in advance.
- In school and out of school suspensions.
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Unexcused Absences
Unexcused absences in excess of 7 days in one class in a trimester may result in a withdrawal of that course at the secondary level.
A student will be marked absent if a student leaves the classroom without permission, doesn’t have their camera on with their face visible or non-responsive in the chat for those with exceptions or permission to have their screens off while attending class. An unexcused absence is an absence which has not been approved by school officials. Parents will be informed of unexcused absences via phone call. Academic and school consequences for unexcused absences include:
- Loss of credit for class work missed the day of an unexcused absence
- Detention
- Truancy Referral to the County Attorney’s Office
- Reassignment to an off-site district program
- Reassignment to an on-site district school
Unexcused absences can be amended with proper documentation. Automated phone calls will be directed to a parent/guardian alerting them of an unexcused absence. Absences due to illness without a doctor’s note are considered excessive upon the fifth occurrence and will require a doctor’s note for future absences to be excused-unless approved by a school official.
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Make-up Work
For absences due to illness: The student should complete make-up work in the same number of days as the absence plus one additional day. In cases of prolonged illness, special arrangements may be made with the teacher(s).
For absences related to school-sponsored activities: The student must have their work made up prior to the absence unless other arrangements have been made with the teacher(s). Upon returning to school, he/she will be expected to participate in scheduled class activities.
For absences due to suspension: Every effort should be made by the student to make up academic work during the suspension period or as arranged with the teacher(s).
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Recorded Classes
Secondary classes are often recorded for students to refer back to the lesson or view a class that they were not able to attend. Class recordings are not to be redistributed in any way or used outside of classroom purposes.