ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

ATTENDANCE POLICY SUMMARY
The Grosse Pointe Public School System believes that students should be in class, on time, every school day. The district believes that a good school attendance program is necessary in order to uphold standards, support academic success, and promote responsible, lifelong attendance habits.

1. To earn course credit and a passing grade, a student’s absences each semester must not exceed TEN absences per class, per semester except where exemptions are noted on page 2 AND ALSO,
2. to earn course credit and a passing grade, a student’s absences each semester (within this cap of 10) must not exceed TWO UNEXCUSED absences per class, per semester; i.e. an absence for which no parent / guardian call of excuse comes in by 10 AM (at the latest) on the day following the absence.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The school system believes that a school attendance program is possible when accountability for class attendance is mutually shared on a daily and hourly basis among students, parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, and attendance office staff. These daily attendance responsibilities are:

Students attend all classes on time each day and make sure they follow the attendance guidelines.
Parents report a student’s absence and the reason for absence by 10AM on the day following absence.
Teachers encourage good attendance by shaping classroom strategies that motivate student attendance.
Counselors communicate with staff and parents and provide supportive assistance when appropriate.
Administrators communicate concerns, collect data, observe patterns, and monitor classroom attendance.
Office Staff maintain accurate attendance records and work together with students, parents, and staff.

INTERVENTIONS
The school system believes that high standards are maintained by consistent enforcement of the district’s high school attendance policy. Toward that end, it employs 3 important forms of attendance support.

1. Early intervention and personal assistance with attendance problems by counselors, social workers, administrators, teachers, and office staff are offered whenever appropriate.
2. Upon the 10th excused absence or the 2nd unexcused absence, the student is placed on a performance contract and parents are contacted.
3. A set of firm consequences exists which includes loss of semester credit for excessive absences and a failing grade for the course. Course credit is lost and a failing grade is assigned at the 11th non-exempt absence or 3rd unexcused absence each semester. However, a student or parent may appeal a loss of credit with failing grade to an Attendance Review Board (A.R.B.).
   NOTE: Year courses are semesterized for purposes of reducing credit; a failing grade is entered for one semester. The student’s credit and grade earned in the other semester are not affected.
   
   * PARENT/GUARDIAN CALLS
   Please note: A parent/guardian cannot excuse any absence or tardy for a student who is on campus, or a student who leaves campus without properly signing-out in the high school attendance office.
   

   	North High School Attendance Office:	432-3201
   	South High School Attendance Office:	432-3501

ABSENCES counted in the maximum of 10 allowed in each class, each semester are:

Any student absence for which a parent/guardian call is received in the attendance office (* above)

The parent/guardian call excusing a student’s absence should be made as soon as possible on the day of the absence, but must be made, at the latest, by 10 AM on the day following the absence, or it is unexcused. Following receipt of the parent/guardian call, the student’s absence is excused and, if non-exempt (explained below), the absence is counted in the maximum of 10 allowable absences per class, per semester. An exempt absence is not counted in the maximum of 10. A student is subject to loss of semester course credit and a failing grade for the semester immediately upon the eleventh excused, non-exempt absence per class, per semester.

Clinic (a class period spent in the clinic)

While never considered acceptable, the 1st and 2nd unexcused absences for a student are counted in the maximum of 10 absences allowed per class, per semester. To repeat: an absence is considered unexcused or a “skip” if no parent/guardian call is received about the absence by 10AM of the day following the absence, unless it is exempt. PLEASE NOTE: A student is subject to loss of semester course credit and a failing semester grade upon a third unexcused absence in a class, in a semester.

An absence can be the sum of 3 tardies or 3 late arrivals to class. A tardy or late arrival is defined as entering a class without a note from a staff member, within the first 6 minutes after the bell. For the first 6 tardies, an accumulation of 3 tardies automatically converts to 1 excused absence for the class.

In other words, the first 6 tardies to a class are counted in the cap of ten as 2 excused absences. However, after the sixth tardy, each set of 3 tardies is counted as an unexcused absence. Upon the third unexcused absence (either 3 skipped classes or a combination of 1 or 2 skips and 1 or 2 sets of 3 tardies, or after the 15th tardy, a student is subject to loss of semester course credit and a failure for the semester. Each absence, (excused, non-exempt, unexcused absence, or first two 3-tardy-conversions) is also counted in the cap of 10.

EXEMPT or not counted in maximum of 10 absences each class, each semester are:

• illness or medical appointment with documentation
• long-term or chronic illness, an injury, or a medical emergency
• school-related absences including counselor business, athletics, activities, field trips, exclusions.
• funeral / bereavement.
• court appearances
• religious observance
• meetings with college representatives at the student’s high school
• college visits (Two visits per year are allowed with appropriate documentation.)
  
  PLEASE NOTE: An administrator has the discretion to exempt student absences as special circumstances may dictate during the school year.

  ALSO NOTE: When a sensitive or personal issue is involved in an attendance matter, a parent, a student, or a student’s advocate may request that an administrator deal directly with the case. In such situations, administrator confidentiality and an exemption may be requested.

ABSENCE NOTIFICATION

• Upon the 2nd unexcused Absence: The parents/guardians are notified, the student is warned (in any class) about the consequences of any further unexcused absences in any class. A loss of semester credit as well as a failing grade in the class are imminent unless an improvement in attendance behavior begins immediately. The student is then placed on a performance contract.
• Upon the 3rd unexcused Absence: The student loses semester credit and receives a failing grade. Notification by an administrator is sent to student, parent, teacher, and counselor. A student has the right to appeal the loss of credit and grade failure ( see below).
• UPON 7TH ABSENCE IN ANY CLASS: A documented, face-to-face conference with the student is conducted by the teacher whose class the student missed, and a    phone contact is made right away with the student’s home.
• Upon the 10th Absence in a class: The parent/guardians are notified, the student is warned (in any class) about the consequences of any more absences in any class.
• A loss of semester credit as well as a failing grade in the class are imminent unless an improvement in attendance behavior begins immediately. The student is then placed on a performance contract.
• Upon the 11th Absence in a class: The student loses semester credit and receives a failing grade
  Notification by an administrator is sent to student, parent, teacher, and counselor. A student has the right to appeal the loss of credit and grade failure.(see below).

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE
An unexcused student absence is an absence 1) with no parent/guardian call, at the latest, by 10 AM on the day following the absence, or 2) arrival to class without a note more than 6 minutes after the bell, or 3) a set of three tardies to a class after the sixth tardy in that class. Without a parent/guardian call (on time) or a staff note, a student’s absence, which is not on the exempt list, is deemed unexcused or a “skip.” Upon the Third Unexcused Absence in a class: a student loses credit in the class for the semester, and receives a failing grade for the semester.

PERFORMANCE CONTRACT
Reasonable, timely reviews of student attendance patterns occur at two points: a) when a student is in imminent danger of semester credit loss and a failing grade due to poor attendance, or b) when a parent/guardian, an advocate, or a student appeals a loss of credit and accompanying failing grade for the semester due to the student’s record of excessive absences (either more than 10 excused, non-exempt absences per class, per semester or more than 2 “skips” per class, per semester, or more than 15 tardies per class per semester, or a total equating to 3 of “skips” and 1or 2 sets of (3) tardies beyond the first 6 tardies.)

To appeal loss of course credit with accompanying failing grade, a student must complete an application that is signed by his/her parent/guardian (available in attendance offices or from administrators) within 5 school days of loss of credit-failing grade notification in order to present a case to an ARB in a timely way.

PLEASE NOTE: After filing an attendance appeal, a student continues to attend his/her class and to do all work in the class until the attendance appeal is heard.

When an Attendance Review Board is acting during an intervention or on a student’s or parent’s, or advocate’s appeal, the ARB reviews each situation on an individual case basis. An ARB consists of 1 administrator and 1 teacher. It meets as often as necessary during the school year.

The Attendance Review Board examines the facts of each appeal to determine if a student is to be retained in a class with the opportunity for re-instatement of semester course credit. The ARB will include in its written decision a statement about how the student’s grade and credit for the course will be computed for the semester/year. A parent/guardian, or adult advocate for the student (e.g. the student’s counselor) must accompany the student during the scheduled ARB or the appeal is dropped due to lack of support, or re-scheduled due to an unexpected conflict.

ARB options include:

• uphold the loss of semester class credit with accompanying semester failing grade decision;
• allow a student to audit a class for remainder of semester with another review at end of semester;
• design a set of specific criteria for “another chance” known as a performance contract;
• reinstate the student in the class.

PLEASE NOTE: It is an administrative prerogative to review any attendance case at any point and determine it should be handled administratively.

ATTENDANCE POLICY EXCEPTIONS
In the event of extraordinary circumstances, parents may petition either an administrator who may decide the case without referring it to an ARB, or an ARB, before an anticipated absence to ask that it be excluded from the maximum of 10 allowed per semester, per class. Exception requests must be made in writing and submitted as early as possible, but normally no later than 10 days prior to the scheduled absence. A hearing about the request may be called, if necessary, before a decision is made about an attendance exception.

VACATION
The school system does not condone vacation absences that exceed school-scheduled vacation periods. Any absence beyond school-scheduled vacation periods is counted in the maximum of 10 per class, per semester.

PLEASE NOTE: Parents are responsible for restricting vacations to designated times.

PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCES
If absences beyond the school-scheduled vacation period become necessary, they are counted in the maximum of 10 allowable absences per class per semester. Prior to his/her absence, a student must:

1. obtain a pre-arranged absence form from his/her counselor, and
2. have his/her teachers sign the form as acknowledgement but not approval of the absence.

If this process is not followed, teachers are not obligated to allow a student to make up missed work.

If this procedure is followed, students have the opportunity to complete assignments and make up tests, but teachers are under no obligation to provide extra help after vacations. Students have 3 days to make up assignments and tests after the return. If assignments and tests are not completed within 3 days, a failing grade for the test or assignment may be given.

MAKE-UP PRIVILEGES
Make-up privileges are allowed for absences that are excused. Grades can be earned if students make up their work within a reasonable time after the absence. A reasonable time is defined as no more than twice the number of days of the absence. If work is not made up within this time, a failing grade for the test or assignment may be given. 

TARDINESS
Tardiness is defined as entering a classroom without a pass from a faculty/staff member after the bell, up through the first 6 minutes of class. Tardies are monitored and reported by teachers in support of the policy. Each set of 3 tardies up through the first 6 incidents of tardiness in a class in a semester automatically equates to 1 excused absence for that class. Tardy-conversion absences also count in the maximum of 10 allowable absences per class, per semester. An unexcused absence will be noted on the record by the teacher if a student enters his/her class more than 6 minutes after the bell without a note from a staff member.

PLEASE NOTE: Upon the third unexcused absence in a semester, a student is subject to immediate loss of semester credit with accompanying failing grade for the semester in the class in which the 3 unexcused absences occurred.

CLINIC
Visits during a class to the school clinic are counted in the maximum of 10 allowable absences per class, per semester. EXCEPTION: A student’s clinic visit is exempt (It is not counted in the maximum of 10 allowable absences per class, per semester.) when it is the result of an injury or a medical emergency requiring documented medical care.

DISMISSALS
Students who must leave school during the school day for doctor appointments or other unavoidable absences that cannot be scheduled outside the school day must have their parent/guardian phone the Attendance Office BEFORE the student is excused from school. The student must obtain a dismissal slip from the attendance office prior to leaving the school building. Students who do not check out properly through the Attendance Office will be considered unexcused for all class periods that are missed. Upon returning to school, a student is responsible for checking back in to school through the Attendance Office.