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Policies and Procedures

Attendance

Philosophy
Every student has a right to educational opportunities that will assist the student to develop his or her fullest potential.  Attendance policies are based on the principle that regular attendance maximizes the student's interaction with his or her teacher and peers, and is a major component of academic success.  Improved school attendance generally increases student achievement.  Therefore attendance policies provide for early identification of attendance problems and effective ways to address attendance issues.  Successful implementation of any attendance policy requires cooperation among all members of the educational community, including parents, students, teachers, administrators, and support staff.

Compulsory Education Under New  York State Law
School age minors, ages six to 16, must attend school regularly as prescribed where student resides.  The student must attend school the entire time the classes are in session.

The compulsory education law is designed to require school attendance and ensure that no child is denied the opportunity to receive an education.

New York State compulsory education laws specify that each minor from six to 16 years of age, mentally and physically fit will be in regular attendance for the entire time schools are in session.  In the Schenectady City School District, a child who becomes six years of age on or before January 1 during a school year is required to attend school beginning in September.  A child who turns 16 y ears of age during a school year must continue in attendance until the end of the school year.  According to state law, the school year begins July 1.

Expectations for Good Attendance
Students are expected to attend scheduled classes.  The insistence on good attendance serves a clear and constant reminder of the importance of good instruction, enabling the student to:

  • Learn subject matter and earn good grades
  • Develop responsible work and study habits, and
  • Prepare for the world of work

Under the New York State Education Law Section 3205, parents are responsible for the regular attendance of their children.

Attendance/Student Grades

Participation Policy:
Daily attendance will directly affect each student's quarterly grade.  Each middle and high school student will be graded on his/her class participation.  The daily attendance record will be a determining factor when calculating a student's participation points and overall quarterly grade.

Students who are legally absent will receive participation points for time missed.  Students absent for other reasons or without a legal excuse will not receive participation points for the day or class they missed.

Unexcused absences will have a direct, negative impact on a student's quarterly grade.

The following categories are considered legal for the purposes of documenting student absences:

School activities/field trips
Excuse from teacher, principal or school employee.

Medical excuses
Medically licensed professional or staff.  Two days of absence for personal illness will be deemed legal upon contact between parent and principal.

Legal/Attorney/Family Court/Incarceration
Attorney or court officer.

Funeral
Funeral Director

Child Protective Services
Agency representative

Religious observances
Clergy

Suspension
School office personnel

All others by appeal to the associate superintendent or principal.

To qualify for "legally absent," status, students must furnish appropriate written documentation within five school days upon their return to school.

UNEXCUSED
Absences not mentioned above are interpreted under the law as "unexcused absences" including but not limited to vacation, shopping, babysitting, over-sleeping, needed at home, cold weather or missing the bus.  Any reason not listed as excused shall be deemed unexcused unless the Building Principal determines otherwise.  The two categories of unexcused absence/tardy are:
Unlawful Detention:  Unlawful detention occurs when the pupil is absent with the knowledge and consent of his/her parent/guardian for other than an excused absence/tardy.
Truancy:  A student who is absent from school without consent of parent/guardian is considered to be truant.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOOD ATTENDANCE
Successful implementation of this policy requires cooperation among all members of the educational community, including parents, students, teachers, administrators and all staff members.

PARENT/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITIES

  • It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to ensure that their children attend school regularly and on time.
  • Parents are required to provide their current home address, telephone number, emergency number(s) and a list of adults to contact in the event of an emergency.
  • Parents are to notify the school(s) when a change in address occurs.
  • When s student is absent from school parents/guardians must contact the school to report the absence.
  • The written excuse must be submitted to the Homeroom teacher within five days of the absence.  Failure to do so will result in the absence being recorded as an illegal absence.
  • A doctor's verification of the absence may be requested.
  • When a student is tardy to school, parents/guardians must provide a written excuse upon the student's arrival at school.  Failure to do so within five days will result in the absence being recorded as an illegal absence.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Students must attend school daily and be on time.
  • Students must attend all classes and participate fully.
  • Students are expected to make timely arrangements with their teachers to makeup assignments and classwork they have missed during their absence.

ADMINISTRATORS' RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Principal or designee is responsible for implementing the Attendance Policies of the Schenectady City School District.
  • Principal or designee is responsible for their school's attendance services, assuring that all Attendance Cards are accurately completed and arrive in the office promptly, and that procedures are established for notifying parents of attendance problems.
  • School Attendance Para must make available daily attendance lists for each staff member.
  • Principal or designee must ensure register accuracy, admittance of late students, organization preparation and distribution of absence reports and provision for follow-through as needed, including phone and written communication to parents.
  • Principal or designee will review the attendance of students daily.
  • Principal or designee is responsible for identifying students who require attendance services for absence or tardiness.
  • Mandated reporters should report all matters of suspected education neglect or child abuse to Child Protective Services and Principal or designee, forward the necessary information to Supervisor of Attendance Office.  (DSS form 221 must be completed)

TEACHERS RESPONSIBILITY

  • Classroom/subject area teachers are required to verify attendance daily in each class prescribed in Section 3211 of the New York State Compulsory Attendance Law.
  • The classroom/subject area teachers will request parents'/medical excuses from students and file according to building procedures.
  • Classroom/subject area teachers will notify designated school personnel of student absences and instances of truancy on a daily basis for investigation and follow-up.
  • Teacher and school personnel will continually stress to students the importance of promptness and regular attendance in educational and business matters, and set a positive example through their own contact with classes.
  • Attendance designee must contact students' parents/guardians in writing after (3) unexplained absences from class within a marking period.
  • Homeroom teachers will sign attendance registers at the end of each attendance period attesting to the attendance of each student.
  • Homeroom teachers are required to submit all student excuses to the main office at the end of the school year, as per direction of the Administration.

ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT INTERVENTIONS

  • Principal or designee should use all available resources to contact and meet with parents relative to their child's attendance matters prior to referral to Family Court.
  • Principal or designee investigates school-family-peer-sibling relationships, health facts, and parental responsibilities prior to referral to Family Court.
  • The Principal or designee should refer student attendance matters to Family Court when the student refuses to abide by the mandates of the Education Law and parental directives, and all efforts for resolution have failed, the district will be obligated to file a PINS (Person in Need of Supervision) application with the Schenectady County Probation Department.

ABSENCE

  • All registered students are expected to attend all classes as scheduled.
  • Parents have the obligation to inform the school that their child will be absent from classes.
  • Student absence due to chronic health or extended medical problems (more than one week) must be documented by a physician's statement.  These statements must be submitted to the main office of the school your child attends.  Upon receipt of these statements, tutoring will be arranged for students in grades 1-12.
  • The parent of any student who has unexplained absences during a specific attendance reporting will be notified by the building principal or designee concerning the amount of absence and the instances of truancy or tardiness for that period.

EXCUSES

  • Within five days of a student's return to school from an absence, a written excuse by a parent or legal guardian must be received or the school must consider the absence 'illegal'.
  • If an excessive pattern of legal absences is identified by the principal or his/her designee, the designee will investigate the validity of the excuses and reasons for absences.  If the absences are found to be illegal, the Attendance Card will be marked accordingly.

TARDINESS

  • Tardy students are required to sign in at the appropriate office on arrival if classes have already started and cannot be admitted to class without a completed late pass.
  • If an excessive pattern of tardiness is identified, the principal or his/her designee will investigate the reason for the tardiness.

ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN
BUILDING LEVEL STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

Each building Principal designates individual(s) responsible for intervention for students determined to be "at risk" with respect to attendance.

Intervention to include the following:
1.  Initial student/parent/teacher contact after 3-4 unexcused absences.
     Written notification to follow.

2.  Attendance counseling

3.  Home visits if appropriate

4.  Monitors student attendance

5.  If progress is not positive, review collected data with PPS Supervisor/Building Principal

6.  Responsible for filing and follow-up of appropriate county agency petitions/applications.

7.  Attends all county agency meetings, results from filed applications and/or petition (attendance matters only).

8.  Reports directly to PPS Supervisor with respect to any and all attendance issues.

9.  Maintains attendance records of individual student intervention

10.  Represents district at court appearance regarding attendance issues.

11.  Reports progress to PPS Supervisor

ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT DROP OUT PREVENTION PLAN
DAILY ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

Staffed by existing personnel (Attendance Para) or person(s) assigned by building principal.

  • Receives daily attendance cards from classroom teachers
  • Daily telephone calls to parent/guardian of those students who are absent
  • Informs parents/guardian of  student absences
  • Makes every effort to determine reason for student absence
  • Maintains student absentee records (attendance cards)
  • Maintains a list of parent/guardian contacts.  List who was spoken to along with dates and times on the back of the attendance card
  • Generate a daily attendance list to distribute to school staff
  • Refers potential "at risk" students to building designee and District Attendance Supervisor after 3-4 unexcused absences
  • Signs in those students who are tardy or arriving late to school
  • Investigates class absences (middle school and high school)
  • Complete attendance registers monthly
  • If all duties are finalized, assist principal in other attendance related duties

PROCEDURES/REGULATIONS FOR ALL BUILDING-BASED PLANS

1.  Students who turn six on or before January 1st of the school year must attend school from the start of classes in September of that school year.  Children who turn six after January 1st must begin school no later than the first day of school for the following September.

2.  Students who turn 16 during the school year must remain in school until the end of the school year in accordance with New York State Education Law.

3.  Parents of students must be informed of the District's attendance policies and regulations.

4.  Parents of students must be informed of the District's attendance policies and regulations.

In the event that any of the provisions of these procedures or the district's policy conflict with State Law, the provisions of the State will govern.

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