Attendance Policy

Regular and consistent attendance by students is critical to fully take advantage of the educational program. State law makes parents responsible for their child's school attendance, and it is the responsibility of every student to keep absences to an absolute minimum. Frequent absences disrupt the education of the absent student as well as fellow students. Everyone loses when someone is not present because students learn from the discussion, views, and experiences of fellow students. We encourage parents to send their children to school every day. Please reference Wyoming State Statue-Compulsory attendance. File: JED-R Revised 5/22/07

 

In an effort to maintain the ninety percent (90%) attendance that is required to successfully complete all classes at elementary school and address the problem of chronic absenteeism, North will adhere to the following attendance guidelines:

Students with 1-5 absences will receive automated phone calls from the attendance office. On the fifth absence, the attendance secretary will call the parent/guardian and inform them of the student's fifth absence. The absence will then be reported to the appropriate grade level for them to record and to keep them informed in case further action is required.

Students with 6-10 absences will receive phone calls with each absence. Parents/guardians will also receive phone calls, emails and/or texts from a teacher, counselor and/or administrator in order to discuss the absence and explain how and if the absences are affecting the student's academics. The school will ask the family and student to problem solve any barriers to school attendance, develop a plan of action and follow through until attendance has improved. This plan will be designed according to individual needs and will be supportive in nature.

Students with Eleven (11) or more absences will be contacted to set up a meeting with the parents/guardians and their student. It is believed that students who continue to miss school after a previous attendance plan was unsuccessful may need intensive supports in this area. Teachers, counselors, administrators and other personnel will attend this meeting where attendance will be discussed and appropriate supports decided upon. Community partners and services may also be part of a student's plan at this level of intervention and information gathered from these meetings will then be shared by the school with these organizations.

***North Elementary understands that students become ill, have family emergencies or opportunities to have enriching experiences outside of school during the school year. These excused and well-planned events will not require intervention. Our efforts are to address chronic, problematic school refusal and truancy. Thank you in advance for working with our school to improve their educational opportunities.

Parents are asked to call the North Elementary office (789-7658) if their child is going to miss school or is ill. If a telephone is not available, a signed and dated note on the day the child returns to school will be acceptable. School personnel will call home each time a child is not in school. Absences not excused in a timely manner by a parent telephone call or note will be considered unexcused.

An excused absence is any absence caused by illness or medical appointment, a death in the immediate family, mandated court appearance, approved religious holidays, family emergency, hospitalization, or a pre-approved family absence.

Any student arriving late for school must check in at the office for attendance, lunch count, and to obtain a classroom late pass. Parents are asked to send a note or make a telephone call to excuse a tardy. Unexcused absences and/or unexcused tardies may result in the need for a conference with both the students and parents.

Students who are absent from school are required to make up work assigned during their absence. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain make-up work assignments from his/her teacher immediately upon return to school. For an excused absence, a student will be allowed equal time to the day(s) missed. Exceptions may be permitted depending upon the circumstances of the excused absence and/or the type of assignment made. No deduction from grades is to be made for an approved absence, provided the work is made up within the allotted time.