When a student must be absent from school, the student upon returning to school must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence. A note signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission, will not be accepted unless the student is 18 or older.
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Students are only allowed 5 parent notes per semester (10 for the year). Once a student exceeds their 5th parent note, all parent notes will be marked as unexcused.
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When sickness or other obligation necessitates an absence, a note signed by the parent/guardian explaining the reason for the absence is required the day the student returns to school. If a student fails to submit a note, the absence will be considered unexcused. The student will be allowed two (2) days to submit a written note excusing an absence. It is very important to send a note because the absence will be unexcused if a parent/guardian fails to provide a note within the specified time. Unexcused absences are what triggers the warning letters regarding violation of truancy laws and can lead to filing of failure to attend school charges.
When a student’s absence for personal illness exceeds five consecutive days, the student shall provide a statement from a physician or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s extended absence from school. If you did not take your child to the doctor, a note from the doctor’s office or clinic stating that you discussed the symptoms with them and they advised you to keep your child at home for a certain number of days will be sufficient. If your student is absent due to illness, please include his/her symptoms in your note.
This is important since there are times we track absences related to flu and flu-like symptoms to report to the health department(s). Please let us know if your child has a fever, sore throat, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. If your student will be absent more than one day, a call would be helpful. The school nurse is available to verify an illness on the day of the absence.
The campus attendance committee may, if the student has established a questionable pattern of absences, also require a physician’s or clinic’s statement of illness after a single day’s absence as a condition of classifying the absence as one for which there are extenuating circumstances.
