ATTENDANCE

  State law requires students to attend school and be "physically in the classroom" a prescribed number of days, depending on course duration, to successfully receive course credit(s).  The Colleton County School District has adjusted these prescribed days, due to block scheduling, in an effort to accommodate state attendance requirements.  Students who exceed the number of allowed absences by the Colleton County School District must appeal their absences or be denied course credit.

 

HOMEROOM

  Students will be assigned a homeroom when they first enter CCHS.   Homerooms are designed to assist the students with guidance, planning, scheduling, parental communications, and other related student/teacher activities. The administration considers the homeroom class to be an integral part of the curriculum.  Attendance is mandatory for homeroom as well as for all other classes on the student's schedule.  Students in a position to graduate in the spring ceremonies will be moved to a graduating homeroom at the beginning of the school year.

 

 

HOMEROOM TARDIES

  Homeroom is held during the middle of the day.  Students not reporting to homeroom by the final bell will be considered cutting and will be handled by the administration accordingly.  Tardies are not acceptable to any class including homeroom.

 

 

HALL PASSES

  Students are expected to obtain a green hall pass from their teachers or have their agenda book signed before they leave the room during the class period.  A hall pass will be required of all students excused from any class.  Students who have permission to leave class are to conduct themselves in a quiet and orderly manner to and from points of destination without tarrying.  The hall pass is to be visible at all times.  A hall pass is not required for a student called to the office by an administrator.

 

 

TEACHER PASS TO CLASS

  On occasion it will be necessary for a student to briefly remain with a teacher at the end of a period in order to complete an assignment.  If this expected time exceeds five minutes then students are required to obtain prior permission from the receiving teacher which grants them permission to be late to their class.  This is in efforts to avoid attendance complications.  If a student is to remain in a class more than five minutes, the sending teacher must obtain a note of agreement from the receiving teacher prior to holding the student. If the student is having difficulties with class performance or has a large amount of work to complete, it is advised that the teacher address this after school as to not conflict with other classes.

 

 

ABSENCES AND EXCUSES (JBD)

  Absences from the school shall be unexcused unless they are excused pursuant to the provisions of this policy.  No student in Grades 9-12 may miss more than 5 unexcused days in a 90 day course, 10 unexcused days for a 180 day course, or 2 unexcused days for a quarter course and receive credit for the course.  Additionally, except in extreme circumstances, no student may miss more than 10 days in a semester course, 20 days in a yearly course that meets everyday, or 5 days in a quarter course and still receive credit for the course.

 

  Students at the high school level who have not reached age 17 and who have exceeded legal limits regarding absences and, as a result, will not receive credit must (nevertheless) attend school. Absences in Grades 9-12 shall be counted on a course-by-course basis.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

  The school principal or his designees are the only individuals that may excuse an absence.  The school principal or his designee may excuse an absence for the following reasons: 

                                                         

1.      Students who have doctor, dentist, or clinic appointments or who have donated blood at school.

2.      Students who have documented circumstances beyond the control of parent or student.

3.      Students who are participating in interscholastic activities such as field trips, athletic contests, academic competitions, music festivals, student conventions, and similar activities.

4.      Students who are engaged in bus driver training.

5.      Absences excused by notes from parents.  Parents may excuse up to twenty absences in a 180 day course, ten in a 90 day course, and five in 45 day course, for the following reasons:

      a.   A student who is temporarily ill and whose attendance in school would endanger his health or the health of others;

      b.   A student whose immediate family member has a serious illness or death.

6.      Late registration as a result of moving into the district after school starts.  Students who were enrolled last school term but come after the opening date will accumulate unexcused absences unless they present valid written excuses.

7.      Students who transfer from another district will have attendance and academic records transferred and the absences will be counted.

8.      Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) from school is an excused absence for truancy purposes only. 

9.      Any other absences that the principal or his designee deems appropriate.

a. The Associate Superintendent or his designee is authorized to excuse student absences on other good and sufficient bases.

10.   Non-traditional religious holidays must have board approval.

 

 

PROCEDURES FOR EXCUSED ABSENCES

 An excused absence is important because of its impact on make-up work and the awarding of credit. 

 

¨     To be eligible to make up work, a student must present an excuse to proper school authorities within three (3) school days following the return from an absence or absences.

 

 

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

  Students who either don’t attend or leave school without permission will be considered as cutting school.  Class-work missed while a student is absent may not be made up if the absence is unexcused.  A grade of zero will be assigned for such work.  After three (3) consecutive absences or a total of five (5) unexcused absences, school officials shall identify the reasons for the student's continued absence and proceed to take corrective action in accordance with policy JBE.  Additionally, students and their parents/guardian should be counseled and/or notified of developing attendance problems at the end of each grading period and during interim periods as necessary. 

   The administration stresses the importance of school attendance in academic success.  Attendance can determine the awarding of credits and/or promotion to the next grade level.

 

CLASS ADMISSION PROCEDURES

  The following procedures are to be followed when reporting to school after an absence:

1.   Students are to take the excuse to the attendance office.

2.     The attendance office will give the student a class admission slip.

3.     The class admission slip is to be taken to each teacher.  Failure to show the admission slip to the teacher will mean the absence will be unexcused. (See Procedures for  Excused Absences)

4.     The teacher is to initial the admission slip and the student is to keep the slip with his/her records.

5.     If a student is signed out before attending all classes, he/she is to present the sign out slip to the teacher of the classes that he/she did not attend on the day of return.  Teachers may also admit students to class based on admission codes on Class XP.

 

EARLY CHECKOUT/SIGNOUT

  When a parent finds it neces­sary to sign a student out of school before the end of the day, the parent or an authorized adult must personally come to the school to get the student and sign him/her out.  A telephone call or written permission is acceptable only if an authorized school official can reasonably verify the authenticity of the call or note.  When a student leaves school early, he/she must sign out through the Attendance Office only.  Failure to sign out properly may result in disciplinary action being taken against the student.  Students dismissed from school early for any reason are not to trespass on the grounds of any school during the remainder of the day.  They must leave CCHS in a timely manner.  If they must wait for a ride, they should remain in class until the attendance office calls for them.  Students who fail to follow these procedures may be disciplined.

 

CHECKOUTS BECAUSE OF ILLNESS

  A student who becomes ill while at school is expected to tell his/her teacher and get permission to leave the class and go to the Attendance Office.  The attendance clerks will try to contact the parent or guardian before the student is officially dismissed.  If the parent is not available, the student will be sent to the main office and he/she will be placed in the sick room.  Students who do not follow this procedure may not be able to account for their whereabouts and may be disciplined as a result.       

 

FIELD TRIPS NON-SCHOOL ACTIVITY

  Any student who will miss class to participate in a field trip or a non-school related event must have a signed Student Field Trip form from each teacher(s) whose class he/she will miss.  The sponsor/teacher will give the student a Field Trip form.  The student will present the form to the teacher(s) the activity affects.  Teachers may not deny permission to miss class for a field trip, if the form is signed by the appropriate administrator. However, teachers may make any comments regarding makeup work or excessive absenteeism in the comments portion of the form.

                                   

MAKE‑UP WORK

   Students who have medical excused absences may take up to the days missed because of illness to make up the missed work.  Students that have a non-medical excuse are required to turn in all make ups the day after they return to school.  Students whose absences are unexcused will not have the privilege of making up work or tests and will be given a zero (0) on tests and/or work.  Exception:  a student may be allowed to make up work ONE time during a school semester for the first out-of-school suspension absence(s) in order to give adequate and necessary support to school attendance.  Teachers should develop meaningful make up work procedures that are an integral part of a student’s overall grade.

 

 

PROCEDURES FOR ATTENDANCE APPEALS

  State law requires students to attend school and be "physically” in the classroom a prescribed number of days, depending on course duration, to successfully receive course credit(s).  The Colleton County School District has adjusted these prescribed days, due to block scheduling, in efforts to accommodate state attendance requirements.  Students who exceed the number of allowed absences by the Colleton County School District must appeal their absences or be denied course credit.

 

1.      Students should get a printout of their attendance from their teacher, the attendance office, or their class counselor if they feel they are close to the "over" limits. Each teacher will post a list of students who have exceeded the maximum number of absences allowed by law in their respective courses (approximately 2-3 weeks prior to the conclusion of the course).  This preliminary list will ONLY contain students who are over in number of days FOR ANY REASON.  At the conclusion of the course, this list will be generated again to include the remaining approximate two weeks.  Also, an additional list will be generated identifying those students who have exceeded the maximum number of UNEXCUSED absences in their respective courses.  These unexcused attendance course codes are U's.  The main thing students need to remember is that they do not want ANY unexcused absences on their attendance records.

 

In order to correct attendance discrepancies:

·        Students are to check with their respective course teachers first for Class XP coding errors or a missing school activity code.

·        Students are then to check with their class guidance counselor for non-coded excuses.

·        Next students check with an administrator for non-coded "P" excuses.

·        Finally students check with the attendance office for non-coded parent/medical notes.

·        Students who are still over in days due to extenuating circumstances will need to pick up an attendance appeal form from the attendance office or their class guidance counselor.

 

2.      Students lose credit when they:

·     Have 6 absences in a quarter course (any reason)

·     Have 11 absences in a semester course (any reason)

·     Have 21 absences in a yearly course (any reason)

·     Have 11 absences in an “A/B” course (any reason)

·     Have 3 absences in a quarter course (UNEXCUSED)

·     Have 6 absences in a semester course (UNEXCUSED)

·     Have 11 absences in a yearly course (UNEXCUSED)

·     Have 6 absences in an “A/B” course (UNEXCUSED)

 

3.      Students may appeal for course credit due to EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.  All extenuating circumstances course credit appeals must be submitted to the attendance office within ten (10) days of the report card issue date for the respective course.  Students who appeal but are denied course credit by the attendance committee may then appeal their days to the Associate Superintendent.

 


ATTENDANCE EXCUSE CODES

 


A - Unverified (UNV)

B - Bereaved (BER)

C - Truant (CUT)         

D - Death in Family (DTH)

E - Excused (EXC)*

F - Funeral (FNR)

H - Homebound (HOM)*

I - In School Suspension (ISS)* 

K - Religious/Board Approved (REL)*

L - Late Bus (BUS)*

M - Medical (MED)

N - Note from Home (NOT)

O - Out of School Suspension (OSS)*

P - Principal's Excuse (APR)*

Q - Court (CRT)

S - Sign out (SOT)

T - Tardy (TDY)

U - Unexcused (UNX)  

V - School Activity (ACT)*

W - Weather (WEA)*

X - Sign out (SOT)

Z - Unexcused Tardy (UTD)


 

 

* Indicates excuse codes not counted against student attendance for receiving course credit.