STUDENT ATTENDANCE POLICY

5200 Student Attendance Policy

Students are expected to be in attendance on all days and hours that school is in session. Absence from school restricts and inhibits the student’s ability to complete the prescribed curriculum requirements. It also violates New Jersey State Law, which requires students to attend school regularly. The law states:

Every, guardian or other person having custody and control of a child between the ages of six (6) and sixteen (16) years shall cause such child regularly to attend the public schools for children of similar grades and attainments or to receive instruction elsewhere than at school (18A: 38-25).

Such regular attendance shall be during all the days and hours that the public schools are in session in the school district, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Board of Education that the mental condition of the child is such that he cannot benefit from instruction in the school or that the bodily condition of the child is such as to prevent his attendance at school, but nothing herein shall be construed as permitting the temporary or permanent exclusion from school by the Board of Education of any district of any child between the ages of 5 and 20, except as explicitly otherwise provided by law (18A‑38: 25‑26).

School attendance is the responsibility of the student and the parents. The student who absents himself/herself from school/class impedes and complicates the teaching‑learning process.

The Board of Education neither condones nor permits absences from school for any reason not specified in the law, and course credit will not be issued if the student attendance requirement is not met. This may affect eligibility for graduation.

Early Dismissal

*Parent/Guardian must report to the Attendance Office to sign student out in the dismissal book*

*We will request ID before releasing any students*

Pre-arranged Early Dismissals:

Parent note or email stating date, time, and reason for dismissal
Emailed notes can be sent to northattendance@nhvweb.net
Student is responsible for bringing this note to the attendance office the morning of his/her early dismissal.
The student will be given a pass to leave class and report to the attendance office at the designated time to be signed out by a parent.
Parents must meet their child in the Attendance Office and sign them out in the sign out book at that time.
We will request ID at pick-up (must be an ASPEN contact for the student).

Emergency Early Dismissal

If you must make an appointment for your child during the day, please make sure your child is aware that you are calling to make an appointment.
It is the student’s responsibility to check with the Attendance Office in between classes to see if his/her parent has called for an early dismissal and pick up a pass.

Senior Early Dismissal

A senior may leave early if:
He/she has a parking pass on campus
Confirmed parental permission via phone call from Attendance Office
Students must report to the attendance office in the morning to receive a pass

–Confirmation is still required even if the student is 18 years old

-Seniors must show their pass and sign out at the security desk at the theater entrance on their way out. This is the only exit they may use.

Leaving with Non-Parent/Guardian

-Students will be allowed to leave with another parent if a note is presented to the administration and parental approval is confirmed via phone call

** Class cannot be disrupted to call students down to Attendance. Failure to follow the above guidelines will result in an unnecessary delay in picking up your child.

**It is against school policy to use cell phones during the school day other than to text during passing time or in the cafeteria. We remind students and parents that either the Health Office or the Attendance Office staff will allow students to make calls to their parents.

**Students who leave school without administrative and parental permission will be considered truant and dealt with according to the code of conduct.

Attendance Policy

*Students are allowed 6 unexcused absences in a semester course & 12 unexcused absences in a full year course*

Excused Absences

The student’s illness supported by a written letter from the parent upon the student’s return to school.
Professional Note : Doctor, Dentist, Lawyer, etc
Dated letter from a college verifying a visitation
We will not accept brochures, maps, etc. It must be a dated letter from the school
Religious holiday, as per the state law and verified by a parental note
School approved activity
Death in the family verified by a parental note
Note from the Motor Vehicle Agency verifying driving test
We will accept a driver’s license to excuse the date of the test
Out-of-school suspension

Emailed notes can be sent to northattendance@nhvweb.net

*Absences for any other reason other than those listed above must be acceptable to the administration or the absence will be considered unexcused*

*Written documentation must be presented to verify excused absences within FIVE school days after returning*

Tardies – *3 tardies = 1 absence*

5 minutes or less late – tardy : student issue will not be entered into ASPEN
6-19 minutes late – unexcused late : will be entered as “tardy” in ASPEN with time of arrival
20 or more minutes late – unexcused absence : entered into ASPEN with time of arrival

Loss of Credit

Students with the following unexcused absences will be subject to loss of credit in a course:

Students who miss more than six (6) classes in a semester course, or more than twelve (12) classes in a year course.

Parents /guardians will be sent letters notifying them of a student’s loss of course credit. Guidance counselors and the Child Study Team will also be notified.

A student who loses credit because of excessive absence will have his/her grades recorded for each of the four marking periods listed on his/her report cards but in lieu of final grades the designation of N/C (no credit granted) will be listed.

Review and Appeal Process

A student who has lost credit in a course must make all appeals for reinstatement of credit lost due to excessive absence in writing to the administration within ten (10) days of notification.

Making Up Work

A student may make up work following any absence. Upon returning to school after an absence, the student will have two (2) days for each day of absence to make up work unless the student makes other arrangements with his/her teachers. However, all work should be made up within a maximum of ten (10) school days following the student’s return. In the event that illness or recovery limits a student’s workload, at the conclusion of the absence parents may petition in writing the administrator in charge of attendance for an extension beyond the ten (10) days.

EARNING COURSE CREDIT LOST DUE TO EXCESSIVE ABSENCES

Students who lose credit due to excessive absences may earn credit by completing a Summer Credit Restoration Program. Through this option, a student may earn course credit lost, but the grade earned would be decided by the work done during the regular school year. No grade improvement is possible. Students who have missed more than 30 days (or their equivalent) or who have failed the course may not use the Summer Credit Restoration option to earn course credit.

SUMMER COMPLETION PROJECT

The Summer Completion Project is designed to allow students to earn back the course credit they lost due to excessive absences. It requires the student to perform a project under the supervision of a certified teacher, and attend a formal class during the time allotted for Summer School. Research topics would be designated for each course by the respective department chairpersons. Tardy

Students who are tardy without proper authorization from a teacher, attendance personnel, guidance counselor, or administrator will receive an unexcused tardy. Three unexcused lates to class equal one unexcused absence. Whenever a student misses more than twenty minutes / or more than half the class, it constitutes an absence.

Students who are tardy to class for the following reasons will be excused:

(1) Professional note (i.e. doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.).

(2) Dated letter from a college verifying a visitation.

(3) Religious holiday, as prescribed by state law and verified by a parental note.

(4) School approved activity.

(5) Death in the family verified by a parental note.

(6) Note from the Motor Vehicle Agency verifying that a driving test was taken

Medical/Dental Appointments

NO STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE SCHOOL UNLESS THE REASON FOR THE APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY A PARENT. The normal procedure includes parental contact on the day of the appointment. Either parent must be available to confirm the appointment.

Only building Administration may approve Early Dismissal for special circumstances.

Permanent Early Dismissal

CONTRACT FOR PERMANENT EARLY DISMISSAL

Permanent Early Dismissals are discouraged. Permanent Early Dismissals will be for seniors with good discipline, proof of employment and graduation requirement standing.

Leaving School During Day

For the protection of all students, the only conditions under which a pupil may leave school during the regular day are:

Permission from Administration and signed out by a parent or legal guardian.
Permission from the Health Office and is signed out by a parent or legal guardian.
Correctly processed early dismissal. Confirmation will be made by the school Administration.
Absence caused by a school sponsored activity; New Jersey Statutes: Title 18A-38-28, and 38-31.

Students may not leave school grounds during the school day for any reason without Administrative permission. Students found leaving school, will be considered illegally off school grounds, truant and may be suspended. Truancy complaints may be signed.

North Hunterdon must accept the responsibility for every student’s safety and welfare. Therefore, please remain in the supervised areas of the school as directed.