When a student is absent from school, an attempt shall be made to contact the parent or guardian to determine the reason for the absence.  The principal has been designated to determine the acceptability and validity of excuses presented by the parent(s) or the student.

Procedures for notifying parents on the day of a student’s absence shall be published in the student handbook.

Excused/Unexcused Absences

The definition of “excused absence” includes the following:

• Personal illness;

• Health-related treatment, examination, or recuperation;

• Serious illness or death of a member of the family;

• Obligatory religious observances;

• Participation in a district-approved or school sponsored activity or course;

• Absences prearranged by parents and approved by the principal; and

• Students of active duty military personnel may have additional excused absences at the discretion of the principal for visitations relative to leave or deployment.

All absences which do not fit into one of the above categories would be considered an unexcused absence.  A student serving a period of suspension or expulsion from the district shall not be considered inexcusably absent.

Significant Part of a School Day

An absence of two or more hours in any school day shall be considered an absence for a significant part of the school day.

Make-Up Work

It is the student’s responsibility to obtain make-up assignments from teachers following an excused or unexcused absence.