Absence Policies and Procedures

1. When a student is absent because of an unforeseen event such as illness, parents should call the Attendance Office at 319-688-1041. Voicemail is available 24/7.
2. When a student knows in advance that they will miss school, the Attendance Office should be notified as soon as possible and the student should make up the work before the absence.
3. If a student is absent multiple days in a row, it is necessary to inform the school each day the student will be gone.
4. In the event you are unable to contact the Attendance Office prior to an absence, the time missed should be reported to the Attendance Office within two (2) school days for timely resolution. Unresolved absences are unexcused absences.
5. Students absent more than three (3) consecutive days should present documentation to return to school.
6. A student will be marked absent if they leave the classroom without permission.
7. Parents cannot excuse absences where a student is still on campus but missing class, or to miss one class in order to work in a different one.
8. A student will have two days to make up work for the first day of an excused absence. From that point they will have one day to make up work for each day absent, up to teacher discretion. The administration may grant additional days in special circumstances. Please review teacher website and syllabus for additional information.
9. If a student becomes ill or has a health-related emergency while at school, he/she must report to the Health Office where a school official will notify a parent and/or administrator before being sent home. Students dismissed from school through the Health Office should first sign out through the Attendance Office.
10. Students arriving to school after the start of first period are required to sign in through the Attendance Office. Students leaving and/or returning to campus during school hours are also required to check out/in through the Attendance Office. Failure to follow check in/out procedures through the Attendance Office may result in the student’s absence/late arrival being considered unresolved and thus, unexcused.
11. Students must be in attendance at school a minimum of three consecutive class periods in order to participate in an after-school activity or event. (School related absences do not apply).
12. Consequences for poor attendance may include, but are not limited to:
    • Warning
    • Lunch detention
    • Loss of special privileges (e.g. open campus, open hours, dances, etc)
    • After school detention
    • Withdrawal from class
    • Habitual Truancy Referral (to County Attorney’s Office)

Attendance Codes and Descriptions

There are a few subtle differences between the different kinds of excused absences, the most important being that an EX (Excused Absence) will eventually count against a sudent’s grades or ability to remain in a class, whereas the other excused absences (ACT, APPT, ADMIN, etc) do not.

• ET – Excused Tardy a parent/guardian has called in and they arrive within the first 10 minutes of class.
• UT – Unexcused Tardy no parent/guardian has called in and they arrive within the first 10 minutes of class.
• L – Extended Unexcused Tardy no parent/guardian has called in and they are between 11 minutes and a half hour late to class. Dean of Students and Administration has the discretion to treat these as Unexcused Absences if they believe that students are intentionally abusing the policy.
• EA – Excused Absence a parent/guardian has called in but there is no documentation and they arrive more than 10 minutes late to class. Examples include but are not limited to illnesses, family emergencies, appointments.
• UA – Unexcused Absence no parent/guardian has called in and they have missed more than a half hour or the entire class.
• ACT – School Activity school related absences such as field trips, school sponsored events, assessment exams, college visits (which require documentation), CHS athletic events.
• APP – Appointment or MED Medical Excused - there is physical paperwork documenting the reason for the absence. Examples include but are not limited to doctor, dentist, court, etc.
• ADMIN – Administrative this could be IEP meetings, meetings with administration, suspensions and other administrative occurrences.
• ND – No Dress in PE student was in class but lost points due to not dressing out.

Classroom 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.

A student is considered UT (Unexcused Tardy) up to 10 minutes after the bell rings.

If students already have a pass from a teacher, the Guidance Office, the Health Office, etc., they should still come to the Attendance Office with that pass prior to proceeding to their class. This allows the attendance to be corrected in Infinite Campus before the student gets to class, thus minimizing the interruption to a class already in progress.

After 10 minutes, a student will be marked with an “L” (Unexcused Extended Tardy). Students arriving to class after 10 minutes should check in to the Attendance Office to secure a pass before reporting to class.

Three UTs (Unexcused Tardy) or two Ls (Unexcused Extended Tardy) is equal to one UA (Unexcused Absence) which may result in an assigned lunch detention.

Teachers will contact home after three tardies and will also inform administration.

Excessive Absences

Absences may be classified as either excused or unexcused. However, regardless of classification, the number of days absent may reach a level of concern and be considered excessive.

School sponsored activities, approved medical absences, suspensions, and special circumstances approved by an administrator are not considered as part of excessive absences. (Absence codes APPT, ACT, ADMIN, ISS, OSS)

Students are responsible for all missed school work regardless of reason for an absence.

Excused Absences

1. Excessive excused absences – eight days or more during a term will be addressed by a school official.
2. After 4 or 5 excused absences from one class an attendance letter will be sent home by the Dean of Students, encouraging regular attendance practices
3. After 5 excused absences from one class a call from the attendance office will go home verifying the number of absences.
4. After 8 excused absences from one class, a letter from the Dean will be sent home and a meeting will be arranged with an administrator and parents to discuss the reasons for the absences.
   • In addition, any absence beyond 8 in a trimester may require a doctor’s excuse. Absences that do not have doctor approval may be deemed unexcused and the student is subject to being dropped from any class accumulating more than 5 unexcused absences in a trimester.

Unexcused Absences

1. 1st unexcused absence is a lunch detention and an automated call home.
2. Second unexcused absence equals a lunch detention and a personal phone call to parents by Dean or Administrator
3. Third and fourth unexcused absence equals parent/student/Dean meeting and assigned detention time.
4. Fifth unexcused absence equals parent/student/Administrator meeting and possible removal from class.
   • On the fifth or sixth unexcused absence, the student will be given a choice to apply for reinstatement into the course or be dropped from the course with a “W” or an “F” and placed into a study hall. Reinstatement into the course requires a meeting with the teacher and Dean to develop the criteria required for reinstatement. Reinstatement is not guaranteed.
5. If reinstated, seven unexcused absences equals drop with a “W” or “F” depending on when in the trimester. Parents will be notified of the drop.

All Day Unexcused Absences (Skipping school)

1. First skipped day will be an automated phone call home and a meeting with the Dean of Students.
2. Second skipped day will be a personal phone call and a letter home amd meeting with the Dean of Students.
3. Third skipped day a letter will be sent home and a meeting with parents and Dean of Students will be set up.
4. With the fourth skipped day student will serve an ISS and apply for reinstatement. Parents and students will meet with Dean to discuss attendance issues and daily schedule. Other options (Edge, Tate, T3, Kirkwood, GED, reduced schedule) will be discussed.

Lunch Detentions

A Lunch Detention is assigned for each UA (Unexcused Absence) recorded during the school day. Detentions are assigned the day following the unexcused absence and students are expected to serve the detention during lunch the same day they are assigned. Students pick up their lunch in the cafeteria at the regular time and then bring it to the Student Advisory Center (SAC) in room 1113 to serve the detention. Students who fail to report for detention may be assigned after school detentions.