V. A. 8. Attendance

Regular attendance at school is a family responsibility. The school will assist families by supporting their efforts to ensure attendance. Absence from school, tardiness, and class cuts all result in lost and irretrievable instructional time. In order for a student to receive academic credit, he/she must attend school regularly. Failure to do so will result in the consequences outlined below:

ABSENCES

In addition to fulfilling the academic requirements for a course, a student must have no more than 15 absences per semester. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY, ALL ABSENCES WILL COUNT.

Students who have accumulated 15 absences in a semester or 30 absences in a school year will not receive academic credit for the course work during that period, unless a make-up plan has been approved by the Attendance Committee.

NOTIFICATION/CONSEQUENCES FOR ABSENCES

When a student has accumulated 3 absences in any class or school day, he/she will meet with their Assistant Principal. This meeting will be documented and a copy of the letter signed by the student will be mailed to the parent/guardian.

When a student has accumulated 6 absences in any class or school days, he/she will meet again with an Assistant Principal and be placed on social suspension for a period of nine weeks. This meeting will be documented and a copy of the letter signed by the student and administrator will be mailed to the parent/guardian. If the parent/guardian wishes to appeal this decision, they may request a parent and student meeting with the Assistant Principal. Medical notes or other official documentation causing absences, should be submitted at this time.

When a student has accumulated 9 absences in any class or school days, he/she will meet with an Assistant Principal and be placed on social suspension for a period of nine weeks. This meeting will be documented and a letter of notification hand delivered to the parent/guardian. If the parent/guardian wishes to appeal this decision, they will be required to make a request for a parent and student meeting with the Attendance Appeals Committee to have the Social

Suspension revoked. Medical notes and other official documentation causing absences should be submitted to the Committee at this time.

When a student has accumulated 15 absences in any class or school day, he/she will lose academic credit. A letter of notification will be hand delivered to the parent/guardian. The parent and student will be required to make a formal request to the Attendance Appeals Committee for consideration of having credit restored. Medical notes and other official documentation should be submitted to the Committee at this time.

MONITORING/APPEALS PROCESS

Attendance will be monitored by the Administration. An Attendance Appeals Committee shall be established to review requests to have credit restored and/or Social Suspension revoked. The Committee shall consist of the following members: Director of School Improvement, Assistant Principals, School Truant Officer, and Parent Representative.

The Attendance Appeals Committee will consider the following as legitimate reasons for absence:

    1. Illness: medical or dental appointments which are unable to be scheduled after school hours. (Doctor’s notes required.)
    2. School-sponsored activity* (i.e. college visitation.) (Documentation required if student is not with a school group.)
    3. Official Court Appearance. (Documentation required.)
    4. Religious Observation
    5. Death in the family

*Class field trips are not counted as absences, students are marked present when on a school sponsored trip during the day.

ELIGIBILITY FOR SUMMER SCHOOL

In order for a student to be eligible for either summer school or tutoring, he/she must attend school a minimum of 150 days for a year-long course and 75 days for a semester course.

Date Adopted: October 14, 1997
Effective: November 6, 1997
Revised: September 8, 1998
Second Revision: September 14, 1998
Third Revision: March 14, 1999
Fourth Revision: August 8, 2000
Fifth Revision: September 17, 2001

 

WEST WARWICK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

 ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY POLICY

Regular and prompt attendance at school is a family responsibility.  The school, likewise, bears responsibility to assist families by supporting their efforts to ensure school attendance.  This policy is designed to assist families but does not transfer responsibility for attendance and punctuality to the school.  It remains the responsibility of the families to monitor student attendance and punctuality.  The school department will maintain a fair and consistent policy for all students.

It is clear that there is a direct connection between attendance, punctuality and achievement.  Students are, therefore, expected to be present each day of the school year unless officially excused.  (Refer to complete list of excused absences below).

EXCUSED ABSENCES

A parent/guardian must contact the school or provide the school with a written absence note when their son/daughter is absent.  Students will be provided the opportunity to make up work.  The following are the legitimate reasons for absences (per GL 16-19-1):

  1. Illness; medical or dental appointments which are       unable to be scheduled after regular school hours.

  2. School-sponsored/approved activity (field trips, testing)

  3. Official, verified court appearance

  4. Death in the family

EXCUSES

In the event that the parent/guardian chooses to submit a written absence note, it must be in writing within five school days to the homeroom teacher upon the student’s return to school.  The principal shall document absences as a matter of record.  No written excuses will be accepted after five school days unless extenuating circumstances prevail.

NOTIFICATION

Parents/guardians will be contacted by the principals when a pattern of absence and/or tardiness exists

Parents/guardians will be contacted by the principal via hand delivered notice when this pattern continues. 

Parents/guardians will be summoned to meet with the Attendance Board when their child’s pattern of absence and/or tardiness shows insufficient signs of improvement.  This summons shall be hand-delivered by the Attendance Officer.

MONITORING

Attendance and punctuality will be monitored by an attendance committee.  This committee shall be established to review and monitor cases of absenteeism and/or tardiness which may be detrimental to school success and implement interventions/ consequences.  The committee may consist of three members.

MEMBERSHIP

  1. Superintendent or designee

  2. Principal

  3. Attendance Officer

ATTENDANCE COMMITTEE ACTIONS

When necessary, collaborative contacts with outside agencies; i.e., DCYF, Tides, etc. will be explored.  Each attendance committee shall meet regularly to monitor cases of unexcused absences and/or tardiness.  The committee shall meet with the parent/guardian to assess the factors contributing to absenteeism and/or tardiness.  Parents/guardians who fail to attend the Attendance Board meeting will have appropriate consequences/interventions implemented.  The board will have the authority to recommend any of the following measures:

1.  Social suspension (Restricting or suspending the right to participate in before/after school activities excluding academic activities)

2.  Limiting activities (Restricting or suspending the right to participate in activities during classes; e.g. field trips, optional speakers’ presentations, testing appointments, etc.)

3.  Monitoring system to scrutinize attendance daily or weekly

     4.  Referral to Family Court

     5.  Referral to outside agency

The Attendance Committee shall also have the authority to implement consequences with any student who is excessively tardy.  The committee shall document each meeting and generate a letter to each student and guardian.  A copy of this letter shall be added to the student’s file and mailed return receipt requested to the student’s guardian.

APPEALS

All appeals must be received in writing within ten school days.  Appeals shall follow the normal administrative route from Principal to the Superintendent of Schools to the School Committee.

 

Adopted:  February 9, 1999

Initials of Chairperson:     ________

Revised:                           March 14, 2000

2nd Revision:                   August 12, 2003

3rd Revision:                    November 8, 2005

4th Revision:                    January 9, 2007