The Board of Education has established the following rules and regulations regarding attendance, absences and excuses for students. These rules and regulations are intended to comply with Missouri Compulsory Attendance Law (167.031 RSMo.) which establishes compulsory attendance for all children between the ages of seven and sixteen unless their education is provided by other acceptable means or otherwise excusable under the law.
Excusable Absences
In case of absence, it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify the school. If the school is not notified on the day of absence, a note from the parent/guardian will be required on the first day of the student's return to school. The absence will be recorded as unexcused if a note or telephone call is not received.
Excusable absences include, but are not limited to:
The following procedures should be followed by students who are absent so as to prevent academic difficulties:
Unexcused Absences
Attendance patterns for all students will be monitored. Absences which are not clearly excusable will be investigated by the principal and/or staff, and appropriate action will be taken:
Excessive Absences
Elementary Students and Middle School Students
A student shall be allowed ten (10) unexcused days per school year. Excessive absences, excused or unexcused, have a detrimental effect upon academic progress and may be one factor considered in promotion/retention decisions.
High School Students
A student shall be allowed a maximum of five (5) unexcused absences from any class during a semester. Students who accumulate in excess of five (5) days in any class are subject to loss of credit for that class. (Days of student suspension are not counted as days absent for purposes of this policy.)
When unusual or extreme circumstances occur, exceptions to this stated policy will be made only by administrative discretion on an individual basis. Any absence not accounted for will be considered an unexcused absence.
Any absence from class as a result of a school-sanctioned activity is not recorded as an absence for purposes of this policy. Example: field trip, athletic event, student activity, etc. It is the student's responsibility to remind all of his/her teachers following a school-sanctioned absence to use the attendance correction form if he/she was reported absent inadvertently.
A student is expected to make up work as a result of class periods missed. It shall be the student's responsibility to meet with the teacher and receive the necessary instructions and assignments.
Any exceptions to the items cited above shall be approved by the Board of Education.
Each principal may have written policies which further detail procedures for making up work, reporting absence, etc.
Appeal
High school students who are denied credit under this Regulation are entitled to utilize the due process procedures available for student suspensions. These provisions are contained in Regulation 2662 - Suspension.