Attendance Policy

ATTENDANCE

HERE TO SUCCEED
The school believes there is a strong connection between students’ success in school and their attendance. Therefore, we have in place an attendance policy that has as its foundation that students must be here to succeed.

STUDENT ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
Students who are absent from school should have their parent/guardian call the school’s 24-hour attendance voice mail, 541-8300. Parent/guardians are to identify themselves, give the student’s name and the reason for the absence. For absences that are not reported, our vice principals will be calling the parent/guardian to inquire about the absence. For any remaining unexcused absences written excuses will be accepted in the office. They should be given directly to the attendance administrative assistant.

ATTENDANCE RECORDING
1) Daily attendance will be taken in homeroom each morning.
2) Period attendance is taken during each class.


SIGN INS/SIGN OUTS (LATE TO SCHOOL, LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY)
When a student is going to miss class time (but not a full day) the school needs to be given this information. Parents/guardians are asked to provide this information to the office in one the following ways:

• If your student is arriving to school late, please bring your child to the main administrative office and complete the required information in the attendance binder.
• If your student is leaving school early, please come to the office and complete the required information in the attendance binder and we will page your student to the office to meet you.
• Provide the office with a note signed by the parent/guardian or a note signed by a physician indicating the time and reason for absence – this must be attached give to office staff at the time of sign in/sign out..
• Contact the attendance line (541-8300) in advance giving verbal permission and indicating the time and reason from absence.


CONSEQUENCES
Students who miss a class or classes without an acceptable excuse will be subject to the following:

TARDINESS FOR SCHOOL OR CLASSES

• Teachers record tardies through eClass attendance at the beginning of each class.
• There will be a four-minute tardy bell before each class begins.
• Teachers should be ready to start class on time and whenever possible be standing at the door to greet
• After a student has been late for a teacher’s class on two or three occasions the teacher should discuss the issue with the student and make contact with the parent/guardian.
• Continued disruption to the class by arriving late will be reported to the office on a discipline referral form.

Notes:
• Each time a student is referred to the office for any reason, their tardy totals will be examined and used as a factor in deciding on consequences.
• Students have to understand that tardies are a major disruption to the class.
• Administration and teachers who may have caused a student to be late give the student a slip to take to their next teacher.


ATTENDANCE PROCEDURE

• Daily attendance will be taken in homeroom each morning.
• Period attendance should be submitted through eClass attendance. By providing this data sometime during or immediately following the period, it gives other teachers useful information about the whereabouts of their students in subsequent classes.
• All period attendance data is included on report cards.

CONSEQUENCES
Students who miss a class or classes without an acceptable excuse will be subject to the following:

Step 1	Warning	Meeting with student. Letter Home File started.
Step 2	Suspension	One day in school suspension. Contact with home
Step 3	Suspension	Three day in school suspension. Contact with home
Step 4	Suspension	Five day in school suspension. Contact with home
Step 5	Suspension	Five day out of school suspension with a recommendation that the suspension continue for the remainder of the academic year. Letter and phone call home

In school suspensions will be served in the Connect Centre which is located in Portable 3 (West Wing).

Semester Two:
A student who reached Step 5 in Semester One and returns Semester Two, will be at Step 4 for Semester Two.