Attendance

Elementary School

Absences

In the event your child is absent from school, please send in a written note of excuse with him/her on the day he/she returns to school, as required by NYS law. Please include in the note the date of absence/tardiness and the reason for the absence. It is school policy that if an excuse is not received within three days of the absence, it will be recorded as an unexcused absence. 

According to NYS law, excused absences include:

• Student sickness
• Death in the family
• Doctor’s appointments
• Religious observations

According to NYS law, unexcused absences include:

• Oversleeping
• Visiting someone
• Going on vacation
• Missing the bus

Research shows that student achievement drops significantly when students miss more than 10 percent of the school year due to absences. While we understand there are often specific medical needs that impact attendance, and we work closely with families to support those students, the following procedures have been established for unexcused absences:

After being absent, tardy 5 times and/or early leaves:

• Phone call home
• Written notification will be sent home

After being absent, tardy 10 times and/or early leaves:

• Phone call home
• Written notification will be sent home
• The parent will call the school nurse each subsequent time the student is absent or tardy

After being absent, tardy 15 times and/or early leaves:

• All of the above and a home visit by school personnel

After being absent, tardy 20 times:

• All of the above & a conference with the administration, school nurse, and guidance counselor or social worker in order to decide upon a course of action, which could include filing a PINS (Person in Need of Supervision) petition with Family Court/Hotline call to Child Protective Services (CPS)
• A letter from your child’s physician will be required for each future absence.

Each case will be determined on an individual basis according to the existing circumstances. Legitimate absences because of chronic medical illness will not be considered as an attendance problem.

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Junior-Senior High School

Attendance Expectations

Excellent school attendance is our expectation. The following procedures are presented with the hope that successful implementation will improve attendance and increase students’ academic and social achievement.

New York State mandates that a student meet a minimum seat time requirement in order to receive academic credit for a course. Class time and other curricular-related times spent with any of our teachers are as important as quizzes, tests, projects, reports, labs, and other more tangible forms of assessments. To receive course credit in a full year course, a student needs to be in attendance a minimum of 153 days. To receive credit for a half-year course, the student needs to be in attendance for a minimum of 76 days. Students who exceed the number of absences (27 days for a full year course and 14 days for a half year course) may be denied course credit. Students will not be allowed to make up class time in order to earn class credit. Grading will include credit for class attendance or loss of credit for absences. If students exceed the number of class absences, a superintendent’s hearing may be held to determine denial of course credit. (If course credit is denied to a senior and the student fails a required course, the student is not eligible for participation in graduation.)

Start the day off right

• Students are expected to be in their homeroom and ready to learn by 8:40 a.m. The only exception to this would be students who are eating breakfast.
• Students arriving to homeroom after 8:40 a.m. will be considered late, and will need to sign in at the attendance office.

Attendance affects co-curricular and interscholastic activities

School attendance affects co-curricular and interscholastic activities as well. Therefore, to participate in these events: 

1. Students must attend school on the day on which an evening co-curricular or interscholastic event is scheduled. Such events include, but are not limited to, athletic events, practices, dances, plays, or concerts. 
2. If a student’s absence has been the result of an appointment which was not possible to schedule at another time, the student’s parent should provide a note to this effect upon the student’s arrival at school. In such cases, the student may be allowed to participate in a co-curricular activity with the authorization of the principal. 
3. Any requests for variance on these stipulations must be directed to the principal before the event or activity in question occurs. 

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