/School Information / Absence Procedures
School Attendance/Absence Procedures
Notification of Absences
When a student is absent, a parent/guardian should call the school by 9 a.m. Parents/guardians may call the school attendance line (483-2481 ext. 6) or the school office. If no phone call is made, the school will attempt to contact the parent/guardian. If no phone contact is made between the parent/guardian and the school, the absence will be unexcused. The attendance secretary will attempt to contact a parent/guardian concerning unconfirmed absences.
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See this link if for the Learning Resource Center for absences due to exclusion:
https://sites.google.com/bcsd5.org/glenwoodmiddleschool/home
Absences are excused for:
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Illness of a student
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Death in the family or of a close friend
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Critical illness of a near relative (mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent or corresponding step relation)
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Dental or medical appointment when prior arrangements have been made
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Pre-arranged family trips
If the absence is excused, the student will be given makeup privileges for the day(s) missed
Absences are unexcused for:
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Oversleeping
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Car problems
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Ordinary weather hazards
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Staying home to care for younger children
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Visiting friends or relatives without the pre-arrangement form
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Minor aches and pains (persistence may indicate a more serious problem)
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Other, as determined by the administrator
If the absence is unexcused, it may result in no makeup privileges.
Pre-planned Absences / Field Trips
Whenever possible, the Ball-Chatham School District recommends that you take your vacations during school holidays, or breaks. Not only is your student missing out on valuable information from the classroom, but the financial support of the district is impacted as well. State aid is directly associated to the number of students in attendance on a daily basis. If for a valid reason a parent is aware that his/her student is going to be out of school prior to the absence, a pre-arranged absence form must be completed. The policy for taking work prior to the pre-planned absence or making this work up upon return is up to the discretion of the teacher and building principal.
Those students attending a field trip or participating in some other out-of-class activity are to turn in the assignments due that day prior to leaving. Students are also responsible for picking up the homework assignment for that day and having it completed the next day. Likewise, students must be prepared for any quizzes or tests the following day.
Attendance reports will be reviewed at least quarterly. Once a student has missed eight (8) days, a letter informs parents/guardians and concern is shared about their student’s attendance. When a student has missed ten (10) enrolled days for the year, a letter is mailed to the parents stating that for the remainder of the school year a licensed physician’s medical excuse will be required for a student to have an excused absence.
Upon request, identified at-risk families may be referred to the Home-School Prevention Coordinator for follow-up. Parent follow-up contacts will be made by phone or home visit to discuss the attendance concerns. Failure to produce a desirable change in the student's school attendance after the following efforts have been made will result in a referral to the Sangamon County Truancy Officer for possible prosecution.
Make-up Work
Students are encouraged to make up work from an absence as soon as possible. Students are allowed one day to make up work for each day of an absence. Homework can be accessed through the school website. When a student has been absent for two full days, a parent/guardian can call in and request homework. This request must be made BEFORE NOON to give teachers enough time to prepare the work for the student. You can request the homework at the same time you call in the absence for your student.
Illness at School
If a student becomes ill at school, he or she must report to the nurse or the main office after checking with the classroom teacher. In order to leave class to go to the nurse’s office, students must have a corridor pass from the teacher whose class they are leaving. In order to be readmitted to class, the corridor pass must be signed by the nurse or by other personnel in the office. The nurse or office must call the student's parent/guardian before being permitted to leave school. Students will not be released to other members of the family without special permission from the office.
Leaving Before the End of the Day
If leaving before the end of the day, it is necessary to sign out in the main office. There is a registry, which is maintained for this purpose. Students will not be released from school without parental permission. It is encouraged that such arrangements be made in advance by a parent/guardian phone call or a note signed by a parent/guardian. Upon return to school the same day, the student should report to the main office for re-admittance to school.