Oregon Area School District: Attendance Policy

OHS Attendance Guidelines

Attendance Questions/Concerns:

For student last names A through K -- 835-4308
For student last names L through Z -- 835-4309

Students are required to attend all scheduled classes and study halls. All absences (excused and/or unexcused) must be cleared within five school days or the absence will remain unexcused.

Personal Illness
A student who is absent due to illness is to have a parent/guardian call the school the morning of the absence (835-4308 for A-K and 835-4309 for L-Z). If this is not possible, a note signed by the parent/guardian explaining the absence should be brought to the attendance office on the day the student returns. A student will be allowed five sickness or injury related absences per semester that do not require a doctor's verification (parent request).

Blue Pass/Medical Appointments
A blue pass is needed for authorization to leave school grounds during the day. A student who has a medical appointment should contact the attendance office with either a note from the parent/guardian or an appointment card from the medical facility to obtain a blue pass. Before returning to the school, the student must have the blue pass signed and dated by a nurse or doctor of the medical facility. The high school fax number is (608) 835-7894.

Family Emergencies
Any student who has a severely ill or injured family member or who has experienced the death of a family member should have a parent/guardian contact the attendance office as soon as possible after the initial first absence with a description of the circumstances. A student requiring more than ten days absence from school must have a parent/guardian contact the office to give an estimated date for the return of the student to school.

Family Religious Services
Any student requesting time off for the observance of a religious holiday must bring a note from a parent/guardian or have the parent/guardian call the attendance office prior to the holiday. (These days do not count toward the five parent-excused days in a semester.)

Pre-Arranged Absences
Pre-arranged absences do not fall under the category of "parent request" unless a pre-absence request form has been filled out and approved. Individual parent requests that his/her child should be excused from an absence will not be honored unless it falls under the guidelines previously stated for excused absences and parent responsibilities. Faculty reserves the right to excuse a student from an absence when the absence has been deemed either justified or unavoidable.

Parent/Student Responsibilities
All other absences must be cleared with the attendance office and will be excused only if the absence falls within the guidelines stated above. It is the responsibility of the parent and student to provide the attendance office with the proper documentation stated in the fours reasons for excused absences. The parent/guardian or student will have five school days to clear the absence with the attendance office. Documentation and/or phone calls received after five days will not be accepted, and the absence will be considered unexcused. Upon the student’s return to school, the student has the responsibility to confer with his/her teachers for those classes missed to determine work to be completed. The student may have up to three (3) days to make up missed assignments/class work for excused absences. The time allowed may exceed three (3) days if extenuating circumstances are present pending the student’s teacher(s) and designated associate principal approves the time extension.

Unexcused Absences
Absences that do not meet the criteria established above will be classified as unexcused. No daily work credit is given for an unexcused absence. At the discretion of the teacher, the student may have the opportunity to make up graded assignments immediately upon his/her return to class. Students will be allowed to complete test and exams that were missed during an unexcused absence.

v The Attendance Office will notify parent/guardian about student's attendance.

v Students are required to make up time for each hour missed during the school day. Students are responsible for contacting their teachers to make arrangements for making up each missed hour. Graduating students who intend to participate in graduation exercises must have all unexcused absences cleared or made up by the end of the last class day (before final exams).

v When the student have five (5) unexcused absences, in any giving five (5) days during the semester, he/she will be classified as a “Habitual Truant” as defined in Wisconsin Statutes 118.16(1).

Attendance & Truancy Questions & Answers

Board Policy

ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY

All students between 6 and 18 years of age must attend school full time until the end of the term, quarter or semester in which they become 18 years of age.

A student who has reached the age of 16 may be excused from school attendance under the following conditions:

The student has requested permission to withdraw and has the written approval of his/her parent(s) or guardian; and the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian agree, in writing that the student will participate in a program or curriculum modification leading to the student's high school graduation. Program or curriculum modifications include the following:

v Full-time attendance at a vocational, technical or adult education school in lieu of high school; or on a part-time basis at vocational, technical or adult education school and high school with total hours equal to full-time status

v Modifications within the student's current academic program

v A school-work training or work-study program

v Enrollment in any alternative public school or program located in the school district

v Enrollment in any non-sectarian private school or program located in the school district which complies with federal nondiscrimination requirements (Title VI of Civil Rights Act)

v Home-bound instruction, including non-sectarian correspondence courses or other courses of study approved by the Board of non-sectarian tutoring provided by the school district

v Enrollment in any public educational program outside the school district

A student who is 17 years of age or over may be excused from school attendance under the following conditions: the student has requested permission to withdraw and has the written approval of his/her parent or guardian; and the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian agree, in writing, that the student will participate in a program or curriculum modification leading to the student's high school graduation or leading to a high school equivalency diploma. Program or curriculum modifications include those identified above.

Withdrawal Procedures for Students

17 Years of Age or Older

Prior to the student's withdrawal from school, the student's attendance officer will discuss the program or curriculum modification options with the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian.

The student attendance officer will inform the district administrator, in writing, of the withdrawal request and of the program or curriculum modification(s) leading to high school graduation or a high school equivalency diploma tentatively agreed upon the by the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian.

The district administrator will present the request and high school equivalency or high school graduation program proposal to the Board or approval.

A written agreement must be signed by the student, his/her parent(s) or guardian, the Board and a representative of the high school equivalency program or program leading the student's high school graduation. This agreement must be signed prior to the student's admission to such program.

At least once each semester, the school attendance officer will review compliance with each student's agreement. If it is determined that a student is not complying with the agreement, the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian and the high school equivalency program or program leading to high school graduation will be notified that the agreement will be modified or suspended in thirty (30) days unless compliance is obtained.

If the agreement is suspended, the student is expected to attend school on a regular basis in accordance with state law, Board policy and established procedures. Failure to attend school will result in forfeiture for truancy in accordance with established local, county, and/or state ordinances.

Student Absences Excused and Unexcused

Regular attendance is a responsibility shared by parents, student, and school.

A student may be excused by the parent/guardian for not more than (10) ten days in the school year if the absences are pre-arranged and the student completes missed coursework.

The following are considered to be excused absences:

v Personal illness; a written medical statement may be required

v Acute family crisis, serious illness or death of immediate family member

v Religious observances

v Special cases in which an excuse from the Attendance Office has been secured in advance of the absence

An absence for reasons listed above will result in the issuance of an "excused admit" for the time missed. An absence for reasons not listed above will result in the issuance of an "unexcused admit" for the time missed.

Student Responsibility

Students are required to attend all scheduled classes and study halls unless they have obtained parental permission and a pass approved by a building administrator or the administrator's designee.

Upon returning to school, students who have been absent are required to bring a written explanation of the absence from their parents or guardians, unless the absence has received prior approval from a building administrator or the administrator's designee.

Students with an excused absence from school will be provided the opportunity to make up work missed within a reasonable time period. Students with an unexcused absence will be provided the opportunity to make up tests, exams, outcome assessments, and projects, but credit for classroom work missed will not be given.

Teacher Responsibility

Teachers are required to emphasize the importance and necessity of good attendance. Classroom procedures and grading requirements may include class attendance as a component of student progress subject to administrative approval.

District Responsibility

The school district will develop and distribute written materials that describe short and long term impacts of truancy, positive measures to prevent truancy and school truancy policies and procedures. These materials will be distributed through student handbooks (grades 5-12), parent handbooks (grades K-4), parent mailings (grades 5-12), orientation and parent conference meetings, press releases, and public service announcements on cable TV.

Adopted: August 28, 1989

Revised: March 21, 2004