Attendance 

5200 - ATTENDANCE The educational program offered by this District is predicated upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. Attendance shall be required of all students enrolled in the schools during the days and hours that the school is in session. School attendance is the responsibility of parents and students. Absences shall be reported to the school attendance office by the parent or adult student as soon as practicable.

In accordance with statute, the Superintendent shall require, from the parent of each student of compulsory school age or from an adult student who has been absent from school or from class for any reason, a statement of the cause for such absence. The School Board reserves the right to verify such statements and to investigate the cause of each absence.

In addition, educators have the responsibility to encourage regular attendance of students, maintain accurate attendance records, and follow reporting procedures prescribed by the Superintendent. Schools will record absent and tardy students in the automated student attendance recordkeeping system.

Provision shall be made for promoting school attendance through supportive interventions which address barriers, education of parents, and enforcement of the compulsory attendance laws and related child welfare legislation. Accordingly:

A.) absences must be reported to the school by the parent or adult student as soon as practicable; Failure to report and explain the absence(s) shall result in unexcused absence(s). The final authority for determining the acceptability of the reason for the absence(s) shall rest with the principal.

B.) upon each unexcused absence, or absence for which the reason is unknown, the principal shall contact the student's parent to determine the reason for the absence;

C.) teachers shall record absentees each period of the school day and report absences, excused and unexcused, as required by the school;

D.) insofar as possible, parents should be contacted each time their child has an unexcused absence or an absence for which the reason is unknown, to prevent the development of patterns of nonattendance;

 E.) when a student has at least five (5) unexcused absences or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a calendar month, or ten (10) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a ninety (90) calendar day period, the teacher shall report to the Principal that the child may be exhibiting a pattern of nonattendance. Unless there is clear evidence that the absences are not a pattern of nonattendance, the Principal will refer to the case to the school's child study team to determine if early patterns of truancy are developing. If the child study team finds that a pattern of nonattendance is developing, a meeting with the parent must be scheduled to identify potential remedies. If the problem is not resolved, the child study team will implement interventions set forth in, and act in accordance with, the requirements in F.S. 1003.26.
 
1.) If a parent refuses to participate in the remedial strategies determined by the child study team because s/he believes that the strategies are unnecessary or inappropriate, the parent may appeal to the Board.

2.) The appeal will be heard by a hearing officer who will make recommendations for final action to the Board.
 
3.) if the Board’s final determination is that the strategies of the child study team are appropriate, and the parent still refuses to participate or cooperate, the superintendent may seek criminal prosecution for noncompliance with compulsory school attendance.

 Make-Up Work

Excused Absences: Make-up work for credit and grade is allowed for all excused absences. Immediately upon return to school, the student will be given the number of days absent plus one additional day to make up all work missed.