Attendance
Attendance Policy
Students should be in school every day; a missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. The primary rationale for student attendance is the relationship between student attendance and student achievement. The general policy of the school district on Student Attendance is Policy 503.
The school attendance line is
Student Responsibility
It is the student’s responsibility to be in school. It is the student’s responsibility to attend all assigned classes every day that school is in session and to be aware of and follow the correct procedures when absent from an assigned class. Finally, it is the student’s responsibility to request any missed assignments due to an absence. Students must bring a note or their parent/guardian must call the attendance line.
Parent/Guardian Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the student’s parent or guardian to ensure the student is attending school, to inform the school in the event of a student absence, and to work cooperatively with the school and the student to solve any attendance problems that may arise. Parents should call to explain every absence on the day of the absence or send a note when the student returns to school giving the reason for the absence.
School Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the school to determine whether the student’s absence is excused or unexcused. The school must follow the regulations of the Minnesota Compulsory Instruction Law, Minnesota Statute 120A.22. Attendance is significantly related to school achievement.
Types of Absences:
Excused: To be considered an excused absence, the student’s parent or legal guardian may be asked to verify, in writing, the reason for the student’s absence from school, and may request documentation in the event of excessive excused absences, a note from a physician or a licensed mental health professional stating that the student cannot attend school is a valid excuse.
School Excused: Absences for school sponsored activities and events.
Unexcused: All absences not verified by a parent and all absences that do not meet the excused criteria as set in policy 503. If the school is not notified of the reason for absence the absence is considered unexcused.
Examples of excused absences include:
● Illness
● Medical or mental health appointments
● Religious holidays
● Family emergencies
*This list is not all-inclusive.
Examples of unexcused absences include:
● Missed the bus
● Overslept
● Bus suspension
● No notification of absence
● Dental appointments
● Vacations (Typically six (6) days or less.)
● Suspensions
*This list is not all-inclusive.
If a student is absent without lawful excuse on three or more days, or any part of the school day, they are considered truant.
Truancy is a violation of Minnesota State Law.
Continuing Truant:
A child under the age of 17 is considered “continuing truant” if they are absent from school without a
lawful excuse for three (3) school days. The school will begin initial interventions. The school is legally required to notify the parent or guardian that the child is a “continuing truant” under the law. A letter will be sent outlining potential legal consequences as well as recommended action for the parent. At this point, parents are strongly encouraged to attend a school conference with their child.
Habitually Truant:
A child under the age of 17 is considered “habitually truant” if they are absent from school without a
lawful excuse for seven (7) school days. The school is required to report to Isanti County Family Services or Isanti County Court Services that the student is in violation of the compulsory attendance laws.
The parents, school, and community are all partners in working towards the goal of school attendance and educational success. The Law is “designed to provide a continuum of intervention and services to support families and children in school
and combating truancy and educational neglect.”
When a child is absent seven (7) or more days for any reason, the child’s parent/guardian will receive a letter updating them about their child’s attendance. If a child’s absences reach ten (10) or more days for any reason the school will send a letter notifying the parent/guardian of our concerns. At any time, based on the school’s assessment of the student’s attendance, the school reserves the right to a) require a physician’s note specifically stating the child is too ill to attend school for that day for an illness to be considered excused, or b) for any other absences, prior approval will be required for the absence to be considered excused.
Sports Attendance
A. A student must be in attendance in school to practice or play in a contest.
B. A student may miss one-half the school day for reasons acceptable to the activities office or principal’s office and still participate.
C. If a student is absent and does not present an approved reason, he/she will not be allowed to participate on that day.
D. Due to an emergency situation at home, a student may be allowed to participate in a contest if it is approved by the activities director and the building principal.
Tardiness
Students are expected to be in classes on time. If a student is tardy the teacher will assign consequences (per class):
1st offense: Warning
2nd offense: Warning
3rd offense: Lunch Detention
4th offense: 2 Lunch Detentions
5th offense or more: Saturday Detention