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A. Objectives

The Byram Hills School District believes that maintaining adequate student records is critical to its educational mission. Accordingly, the District adopts this policy to ensure that effective strategies are in place to maximize pupil attendance at all scheduled periods of actual instruction or supervised study activities, so that the District's students have the greatest opportunity to succeed at meeting the state learning standards. Continuity of instruction is an essential element in student performance. In furtherance of this goal, the District will strive to identify patterns of absence, tardiness and early departures from school, and, upon identifying patterns indicating the existence of an attendance problem or potential problem, to intervene in a manner that will encourage student attendance and discourage unexcused absences. For purposes of this policy, tardiness and early departures are considered attendance problems; however, tardiness and early departure will be treated as absences as defined in this policy.

B. Definition

For the purposes of this policy, the term "absence" shall refer generically to any and all of the following circumstances:
1. A student's failure to attend any or all of his or her scheduled periods of actual instruction or supervised study activities for the full duration of said period(s) of instruction or activity;
2. A student's late arrival to any of his or her scheduled period(s) of actual instruction or supervised study activities during the course of a school day; and/or
3. A student's early departure from and failure to return to any of his or her scheduled period(s) of actual instruction or supervised study activities prior to the official dismissal of said period of instruction or activity.


C. Classifying Absences

1. Excused and Unexcused Absences. Student absences, late arrivals, and early departures shall be classified as either excused or unexcused; however, because loss of classroom instructional time is considered detrimental to student performance, excused or unexcused absence will be treated similarly for determining course credit or promotion. Students with serious medical conditions will have absences excused with appropriate diagnosis from a physician. Students (K-12) with serious medical conditions that require time out of school should contact their school principal or guidance counselor (grades 6-12). For purposes of this policy, students with documented, serious long-term medical conditions are eligible for home instruction. Students on home instruction are not considered absent but rather are present for an alternative instructional program.
2. Excused absences are those absences attributable to:
• Illness confirmed by a written note from a parent/guardian
• Death in the family
• Religious observance (list of dates to come from the State Education Department) Approved college visitation
• Educational activity related to classroom instruction

All excused absences require a phone call by parent/guardian followed by a written note.
 
1. Unexcused absences shall be those absences attributable to:
2. Any other reason not identified above (for example, recreational activities, undocumented* medical appointments, family convenience.)
*Undocumented medical appointments are those absences that are not followed by a written note from a parent, stamped by a physician, or a signed physician's note.


It is the parent's/guardian's responsibility to notify the office on the morning of the absence. It is essential that parents/guardians provide a written excuse for each absence. Such excuse should contain the reason and date of absence.

1. The building principal shall have the discretion to designate an absence, late arrival or early departure as "excused," if the cause of the absence is not among those enumerated in part (a) of this section, upon a determination that the absence was unavoidable and/or otherwise not the fault of the student or the student's parent(s)/legal guardian(s). In addition, students who are participating in approved meetings or services with Byram Hills' teachers or administrators will not be considered absent from class attendance.
2. Attendance Register Codes. Commencing in the 2003-04 school year, the appropriate district-wide SASI* codes shall be employed in recording absences in the pupil attendance record.
* SASI is a software system used for attendance, scheduling, and other student data.

D. Strategies for Improving Student Attendance and Discouraging Unexcused Absences

1. Attendance Incentives

a. Incentives
• Perfect attendance awards
• Perfect promptness awards
• Public recognition of students
• Awarding of course credit
• Promotion
• Recognition of student achievement
b. Procedures for these incentives will be developed by each building principal.
 
     2. Interventions to Address Patterns of Absences, Tardiness, and Early Departures - Non-disciplinary

For purposes of this policy, students must be in attendance 80% of the instructional day K-8, or 80% of the class periods to be considered "present" for class instruction in 2002-03, and 85% in 2003-04 and beyond. Tardiness and early departures will be treated similar to absences.

• Students in grades K-2 who are tardy or dismissed early for 60 minutes or more of the school instructional day will be treated as absent from school.
• Students in grades 3-8 who are tardy or dismissed early for 70 minutes or more of the instructional school day will be treated as absent from school.
• Students in grades 9-12 who are tardy or dismissed early for more than 10 minutes of a class period will be treated as absent from class.


The building principal is responsible for initiating and/or carrying out the most effective strategies for encouraging improved attendance, and may call upon parents, teachers, guidance counselors, pupil personnel staff, and outside agencies as deemed appropriate on an individual basis.

(1) For 2002-03:

High School

• For a full year course, letter of notification to parents will be sent when a student reaches eight (8) absences. The letter is intended to notify parents of the student absence and seek their intervention for student attendance.
• At 16 absences, second letter and student meeting with assistant principal
• At 25 absences, third letter, student meeting with assistant principal and phone notification to parents
• At 31 absences, loss of credit - letter from principal
• Copies of letters to go to counselor, teachers, special ed. when applicable
• Referral to guidance/pupil personnel team as appropriate
• Teachers contact parents when appropriate
• For semester course:
• At 4 absences, first letter to parent
• At 8 absences, second letter and student meeting with assistant principal
• At 13 absences, third letter, student meeting with assistant principal and phone notification to parents
• At 16 absences, loss of credit letter from principal
• Copies of letter to go to counselors, teachers, special ed. when applicable
• Referral to guidance/pupil personnel team as appropriate
• Teachers contact parents when appropriate


HCC

• At 10 absences, letter notification to parents
• At 20 absences, second letter and meeting with assistant principal and parent
• At 31 absences meeting with principal and parent to review promotional requirements
• Referral to guidance
• Teachers contact parents when appropriate


K-5

• At 10 absences, letter notification to parents
• At 20 absences, meeting with teacher and principal and parent
• At 31 absences, principal requests second meeting with parent to review promotional requirements
For purposes of this policy, students who are tardy or dismissed early less than 60 minutes K-2, less than 70 minutes 3-8, less than 10 minutes per period 9-12 for a class instructional session, will be deemed inattentive to serious educational commitment.
 
Students tardy or dismissed early for:
• 10 times will receive a parental notification
• 20 times will have a meeting with the principal (or designee) and parent
• 30 times will be under principal review


(2) For 2003-04 and beyond:

High School

• For a full year course, letter of notification to parents will be sent when a student reaches eight (8) absences. The letter is intended to notify parents of the student absence and seek their intervention for student attendance.
• At 16 absences, second letter and student meeting with assistant principal
• At 22 absences, third letter, student meeting with assistant principal, and phone notification to parents
• At 28 absences, loss of credit - letter from principal
• Copies of letters to go to counselor, teachers, special ed. when applicable
• Referral to guidance/pupil personnel team as appropriate
• Teachers contact parents when appropriate
• For semester course:
• At 4 absences, first letter to parent
• At 8 absences, second letter and student meeting with assistant principal
• At 10 absences, third letter, student meeting with assistant principal and phone notification to parents
• At 14 absences, loss of credit letter from principal
• Copies of letter to go to counselors, teachers, special ed. when applicable
• Referral to guidance/pupil personnel team as appropriate
• Teachers contact parents when appropriate


HCC

• At 9 absences, letter notification to parents
• At 18 absences, second letter and meeting with assistant principal and parent
• At 28 absences meeting with principal and parent to review promotional requirements
• Referral to guidance
• Teachers contact parents when appropriate


K-5

• At 9 absences, letter notification to parents
• At 18 absences, meeting with teacher, principal, and parent
• At 28 absences, principal requests second meeting with parent to review promotional requirements

For purposes of this policy, students who are tardy or dismissed early less than 60 minutes K-2, less than 70 minutes 3-8, less than 10 minutes per period 9-12 for a class instructional session, will be deemed inattentive to serious educational commitment, and will be subject to the following:
 
Students tardy or dismissed early for:
• 10 times will receive a parental notification
• 20 times will have a meeting with the principal (or designee) and parent
• 30 times will be under principal review
(See part 4 for the award of course credit.)
 
3. Interventions to Address Patterns of Absences, Tardiness, and Early Departures - Disciplinary Action
1. For the year 2002-03 the following disciplinary actions apply:
 
High School 9-12
• Loss of course credit will occur when student reaches 31 absences for yearlong course, and 16 for a semester course.
• Students with an unexcused absence are subject to detention and possible further disciplinary action.


K-8

• At 31 absences, student's promotion is in jeopardy.
• Any student absent (excused or unexcused) more than 31 days (80%) will be under a principal's review for promotion.


For the year 2003-04 and beyond, the following disciplinary actions apply:

High School 9-12

• Loss of course credit will occur when student reaches 28 absences for yearlong course, and 14 for a semester course.
• Students with an unexcused absence are subject to detention and possible disciplinary action.


K-8

• At 28 absences, student's promotion is in jeopardy.
• Any student absent (excused or unexcused) more than 28 days (85%) will be under a principal's review for promotion.
1. Parents will receive a letter when students are in jeopardy of loss of credit or promotion is in jeopardy, as referred to in part 2.
2. Students at Byram Hills High School who are tardy unexcused three or more times will be assigned detention.
3. Students at H.C. Crittenden who are tardy unexcused four or more times will be assigned detention.
4. The district Code of Conduct adopted by the Byram Hills Board of Education, June 19, 2001, page 13, "VIII: Disciplinary Procedures, Penalties, and Referrals," is cross-referenced in this policy and should be considered part of this policy. Any disciplinary action imposed on students classified as eligible for special education procedures shall comply with state and federal laws, including but not limited to requirements pertaining to CSE notification, manifestation determinations, and limitations on program removals.
5. The Byram Hills School District Code of Conduct adopted June 19, 2001 should be cross referenced for purposes of this policy (see page 26, section X, "Discipline of Students With Disabilities.")


4. Attendance Required for Award of Course Credit

For Byram Hills High School
Byram Hills Board of Education promotes attendance to support student learning For 2002-03, BHHS students will be eligible to receive course credit when present more than 80% of the class sessions (this includes excused and unexcused absences.)
For 2003-04 and beyond, BHHS students will be eligible to receive course credit when present more than 85% of the class sessions (this includes excused and unexcused absences.)
 
For H.C. Crittenden, Wampus and Coman Hill
For 2002-03 and beyond, students who attend 80% of school days will be eligible for promotion, and for 2003-04 and beyond, students who attend 85% of school days will be eligible for promotion. All other students will be reviewed by the principal for consideration of retention (this includes excused and unexcused absences.)
 
E. Parents will be notified of potential loss of credit as identified in section 2(a) of this policy.
1. Policy Distribution
1. Distribution of Policy
1. Copies of the District's Comprehensive Policy shall be distributed to teaching staff members as soon as is practicable following the adoption and, if applicable amendment, of the policy. Newly hired teaching staff members shall be provided a copy of the policy upon their employment.
1. Copies of this policy shall be retained at Byram Hills' district office and school libraries, and shall be available for review by members of the community at those locations upon request, and on the district web site, http://www.byramhills.org.

 

1. Policy Summary
The Board of Education shall prepare a summary of this policy, stated in plain language, to facilitate student and parent awareness of the policy and its terms. This summary shall be distributed as follows:
1. Each parent will receive a copy of this policy mailed home prior to the start of the 2003-04 school year.
1. This attendance policy will be reviewed at school's back-to-school night.
2. At the beginning of each school year, each school will provide a classroom discussion or grade level assembly describing this policy.
F. Annual Review
The Board of Education shall annually review the building level pupil attendance records, and if such records show a decline in pupil attendance, shall revise this policy as necessary to improve such attendance. This will take place as part of the district review of the annual SED school report cards.
 
 
 
 
 
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