Attendance
There are situations that cause children to be absent from school. However, Minnesota state law requires students to be in school except in cases of illness, medical appointments, religious holidays, funerals, and extreme family emergencies. While medical appointments are acceptable reasons for a student’s absence, the student should return to school following their appointment if they are in good health.
Parents must call the school every day that their child will not be in school to explain the reason for their absence.
If a phone call is not possible, students must bring a note to school the day they return, explaining the absence reason.
Students and parents share the responsibility of consistent school attendance.
Please call the school if you have questions about your child’s attendance.
Students are responsible for collecting and completing all school work he or she misses while absent.
After 3 consecutive days, homework can be arranged for pick-up.
A maximum of 7 sick days per school year can be excused by a parent phone call or note. After 7 days, a doctor’s note or the school nurse’s determination that a student was “too sick to be in school” will be needed to excuse additional absent days for illness.
If a student misses 5 days of school for reasons not excused by Minnesota state law, the student and their parents will be referred to the Ramsey County Truancy Intervention Program (TIP). When referred to this program, students and parents will be required to attend meetings at school to learn ways of improving student attendance or court hearings to face legal consequences for truancy.
If a student has unexcused absences totaling:
3 days: An Attendance Alert Letter will be mailed to the parent
5 days: The student and parent will need to attend a Truancy Intervention Program meeting
7 days: The student and parent will need to attend an Attendance Contract meeting
10 days: Student Attendance Review Team hearing at Juvenile Court
12 days: Juvenile Court hearing and possible legal consequences such as probation
TARDY POLICY
Students arriving late to school must obtain an ADMIT SLIP from the office.
Students late for CLASS must see the security guard for a TARDY SLIP and may result in an after school detention or further disciplinary action for repeated tardiness.