ATTENDANCE

Coming to school every day is absolutely necessary for a child's successful learning.  It may be very difficult for the child to catch up when instruction is missed.

                 ARRIVING ON TIME TO SCHOOL AND REMAINING IN CLASS UNTIL DISMISSAL assures that students obtain the maximum benefits of planned instruction. 

STUDENT ABSENCES

The day after a child is absent, a written excuse should be sent to the teacher explaining the reason for the absence.  All notes must be sent within three days if the absence is to be excused.  Absences are coded as excused or unexcused.  Excessive unexcused absences will be reported to PASS.

                 We ask that unless a student has been absent for more than three days, it is best to wait until they return to school to ask for makeup work.  If you feel it necessary to check on assignments, please check STI Home under your child's login information.  If an illness lasts longer than three days, we ask that you call the school office early in the morning to request makeup work that can be picked up after 3:00 p.m. in the school office.

                 In order to avoid prosecution, you should be sure that your child has a written excuse for each day that they are absent for sickness, illness and/or death of immediate family member, weather preventing attendance, legal requirements, or any other incident with prior approval by school administrator.  If you have any questions or concerns about this matter, feel free to contact the school. 

WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD AT HOME

                 Regular attendance at school is encouraged and is necessary for your child's progress.  However, the child should stay home if any of the following conditions occur.  This will prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

Fever - Your child should not attend school if they have a temperature of 100 or above and should remain at home until fever free for 24 hours.

Vomiting - Your child should not attend school if they have vomited within the last 24 hours.

Diarrhea - Your child should remain home if they have had diarrhea within the last 24 hours.

Undiagnosed rash - Your child should not attend school until the rash has been diagnosed and treated.  It could be measles, chickenpox or some other contagious disease.

Pink eye - (conjunctivitis) pink eye is contagious.  Your child should be seen by your doctor and treated before returning to school.

Lice and/or nits (eggs) - Your child should not return to school until after treatment with lice shampoo and all nits have been removed.

The Alabama law states:

290-3-1-02(7)(b)(ii)(III)

                         (c)Truancy Definition

A parent, guardian, or other person having charge of any child officially enrolled in Alabama public schools (K-12) shall explain in writing the cause of any and every absence of the child  no later than three (3) school days following return in school.  A failure to furnish such explanation shall be evidence of the child being truant each day he is absent.  The child shall also be deemed truant for any absence determined by the principal to be unexcused based on the State Department of Education's current School Attendance Manual.  Seven unexcused absences within a school year constitutes a student being truant for the purpose of filing a petition with the Court.  The interagency Committee on Youth Truancy Task Force recommendations known as the Early Warning truancy Prevention Program timeline for reporting truancy shall define the truancy status of any student as follows:

1.     First truancy/unexcused absence (warning)

(i)  Parent/guardian shall be notified by the school principal of his/her designee that the student was truant and the date of the truancy.

(ii)  Parent/guardian shall also be provided with a copy of Alabama's compulsory school attendance laws and advised of the penalties that can be applied and the procedures that shall be followed in the event that other unexcused absences occur.

2.     No earlier that the fifth unexcused absence (conference)

(i) The parent, guardian, or person having control of the child shall (1) attend a conference with the attendance officer and principal or his/her designee and/or (2) participate in the early warning program provided by the juvenile court.

(ii)  Attendance at one of these conferences shall be mandatory except where prior arrangements have been made or an emergency.

(iii) Failure to appear at the school conference and/or to appear at the early warning program shall results in the filing of a complaint/petition against the parent under Code of Alabama (1975), §16-28-129(c) (failure to cooperate), or a truancy against the child, whichever is appropriate.

3.     No earlier than seventh unexcused, but within ten (10) school days (court)

(i)  File complaint/petition against the child and/or parent, if appropriate,

          4.     Child under probation

(i)  The school attendance officer should be notified by the juvenile probation officer or all children in the school system under probation supervision by the juvenile court as consistent with state statute, Code of Alabama (1975), §12-15-100 and 105.

(ii)  Where a child under probation is truant, the school attendance officer should immediately notify the juvenile probation officer.

          In addition, Act 94-782 states: "Each parent/guardian or other person having control or custody of a child required to attend school who fails to require the child to enroll, to regularly attend school, or to compel the child to properly conduct himself/herself as a pupil in accordance with the written policy on school behavior adopted by the local board of education, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined up to $100 and may be sentenced to hard labor for up to 90 days."