Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy

If you are going to be require a pre-arranged absence, please complete the included form and return to the Attendance Clerk. Please note - pre-arranged absences do not automatically excuse a student from school. Preapproved Absence Form.pdf

School attendance is the responsibility of the student and parent/legal guardian.

• Students shall begin each new school year with zero (0) absences.

• On a daily basis, student absences will be recorded as unexcused until an acceptable excuse has been provided by the parent/legal guardian indicating the reason for the student’s absence.

OCPS practice is to encourage all attendance notes to be submitted within 48 hours of the student absence

• Early departure of any student during the last hour of the school day is strongly discouraged.

• If a student is repeatedly absent from school due to illness, the school is authorized to require the parent/legal guardian to provide a written physician’s statement for each subsequent absence to be considered excused.

 

Absences shall be excused for the following:

  • Illness, injury, or other insurmountable condition;

  • Illness or death of a member of the student’s immediate family (OCPS practice has been to define immediate family as the student’s mother, father, brother, sister, stepmother, stepfather, step-siblings, and other relatives who live in the student’s home);

  • Recognized (or established) religious holidays and/or religious instruction;

  • Medical appointments;

  • Legal appointments;

  • Participation in an approved activity or class of instruction held at another site; o Prearranged absences of educational value with the principal’s prior approval;

  • Pediculosis (head lice) infestation (up to four (4) days per school year); or o Catastrophic disasters that significantly impact the life of the student (e.g. loss of residence from natural disaster).

 

Students shall be given a reasonable amount of time to make up any work assignments which were missed during an absence. At least one (1) school day shall be allowed to make up missed work for each day of absence.

If a students is not in class, the student will be marked as absent.

Attendance will be taken each period.

  • Written notices will be sent to parents/guardians when a students has five (5) absences.

  • Students under the age eighteen (18) with more than nine (9) unexcused absences for the school year will be reported to the school social worker.

  • Students under the age eighteen (18) with fifteen (15) absences for the school year will be reported to the Department of Children and Family Services as a habitual truant.

  • Students between the ages of fourteen (14) and eighteen (18) with fifteen (15) absences will not be able to acquire or maintain a driver's license. These students will be reported to the DHMV.

  • Appointments should be scheduled during non-school hours to avoid missing class instruction.