Attendance Policy

Student Attendance/Policy/Procedures

Compulsory School Attendance

This policy applies to individuals who have custody or control of a child: (a) between the ages of 7 and 17 years of age (unless the child has graduated from high school), or (b) who is enrolled in any of grades, kindergarten through 12, in the public school regardless of age. These individuals must cause the child to attend the district school wherein the child is assigned, except as provided herein or by state law.

Subject to specific requirements in state law, the following children are not required to attend public school:

  1. any child attending a private school (including a home school) or parochial school,
  2. any child who is physically or mentally unable to attend school (including a pregnant student suffering medical complications as certified by her physician),
  3. any child lawfully and necessarily employed,
  4. any child over 12 and under 14 years of age while in confirmation classes,
  5. any child absent because his or her religion forbids secular activity on a particular day, and
  6. any child 16 years of age or older who is employed and is enrolled in a graduation incentives program.

The parent/guardian of a student who is enrolled must authorize all absences from school and notify the school in advance or at the time of the student’s absence. A valid cause for absence includes illness, observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate family, family emergency, other situations beyond the control of the student, other circumstances that cause reasonable concern to the parent/guardian for the student’s safety or health (mental, physical, emotional) , or other reason as approved by the superintendent or designee.

Should a student, seventeen years of age or over, be chronically absent, the student and parents will be asked to decide about the student’s choices of regular attendance, withdrawal from school, or administrative withdrawal. Students absent from school for more than TEN (10) consecutive school days may be administratively withdrawn.

A chronic or habitual truant shall be defined as a child subject to compulsory school attendance and who has been absent without valid cause from attendance for 5% OR MORE OF THE PREVIOUS 180 REGULAR ATTENDANCE DAYS.

DEFINITIONS
Absence:

Any day or period of non-attendance. It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to notify the school of absences on the day of the absence. School personnel will determine the status (excused/unexcused) of the absence. Reasons for excused absences are defined by the Illinois School Code as illness, religious observances, death in the family, family emergency, or other situations beyond the control of the student, and must be approved by school personnel. The student is entitled to full make-up privileges for excused absence. The student must meet make-up deadlines established by the teacher. Approved school related activities are not considered absences.

Extended Illness:

Any student who is absent for five consecutive days must present a medical statement from a licensed physician. If the student will be absent for more than five days, the statement should indicate how long the illness is expected to last. Parents are to communicate with the SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER in cases of extended illness to determine if Homebound Services are warranted.

Excessive Absences and Medical Documents:

Excessive absences are defined as more than 5% or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days (9 days per school year). The school administration may require excessively absent students to provide medical documentation indicating the nature of the illness and specific dates to be excused. Failure to provide medical documentation will cause the student to be considered truant. See “Truancy Consequences.” Student will be placed on the appropriate step.

Truancy:

Truancy is any day or period of non-attendance which is determined by school personnel as unexcused.

Extenuating Circumstances:

Upon approval of the assistant principal for pupil personnel services, instruction may be provided through homebound tutoring in cases of extended illness. Homebound tutoring will constitute continuous instruction.

DAILY ABSENCES

If a student is absent from school, his/her parent must call the school each day the student is absent. Calls are required no later than 2:30p.m. on the day of the absence. If the school does not receive the call as required, the absence is considered unexcused. A 24-hour phone service is available at the following number: (708) 585-1007

Any student who decides to stay home AFTER the parent (or guardian) has left for work has the responsibility of contacting a parent/guardian to inform him that he/she is home so that the parent/guardian can call before 2:30 P.M. on the day of the absence.

TARDY POLICY

Punctuality is a student responsibility. Failure to enter the classroom prior to the final ringing of the tardy bell will be recorded as a tardy or as stipulated in writing by the teacher and signed by all students as classroom procedures.

The building administration may prohibit student admission to class when a student is tardy. Such a measure may be necessary either on a selected or continuing basis to ensure that tardiness does not disrupt the educational process.

Students detained by a teacher must obtain a pass from that teacher before attempting to be admitted to their next class. Students may not leave a class to which they are tardy in an attempt to solicit a pass.

All tardies will be reported to the Deans’/Attendance office on the day of the tardy. Students accumulating multiple tardies, per class, per semester, will be counseled and/or receive intervention(s).

TRUANCY POLICY

Students are expected to remain in the building during their regularly scheduled school day. Under no circumstances are students to leave the building without the permission of administration, the dean, or school nurse. To do so will be treated as truancy. If a student becomes ill during the school day and receives permission from the nurse to go home, he or she will be given a pass from the nurse. This pass should be turned in to the Attendance Office before leaving school. Students will be released to the custody of their parents or guardians in the Attendance Office. If no parents or guardians are available, permission must be received from an assistant principal before the student is released.

Requests to leave school for other reasons must be verified by a telephone call from the parent/guardian, and official, written verification that the appointment occurred (e.g. doctor/dentist note, verification of court date or college visit). An excuse from school will be granted by the deans for only those matters that cannot be scheduled at any other time than during the school day.

Truancy is any day or period of non-attendance which is determined by school personnel as unexcused.

Single Period Truancy

The first single class absence starts the student in the truancy process.

Full Day Truancy

Full day truancy is defined as an absence without excuse from three or more periods. Students accumulating 9 days per year or more full day truancies in the previous 180 school days will be considered chronic and habitual truants. In addition, police issuance of a municipal citation for truancy may be issued to the parent/guardian.