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Attendance Policy

ATTENDANCE

 

COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE

The Kentucky Compulsory Attendance Laws, KRS 159.010 and KRS 159.180, state that the parent/guardian is responsible for keeping his/her child in regular school attendance.

 

 

Valid Reasons for Excused Absences:

1. Illness of pupil

2. Severe Illness in home

3. Death in the family

4. Appointment with a health professional (for student only)

5. Driver's test (A statement from driver's test administrator must be presented for the student to be excused for a reasonable amount of time.)

6. Court order (A statement from the court system must be presented for the student to be excused for a reasonable amount of time.)

7. One day for the attendance of the Kentucky State Fair

8. Other valid reasons as determined by the principal

 

Absences Grades K-12

Notes from parents/guardians shall be accepted, and absences shall be excused for up to six (6) days only for the eight (8) valid reasons listed above. Illness accompanied by a health professional's statement will not be counted as one of the six (6) days.

 

 

Procedures for Student Absences

1. Parent/guardian is encouraged to call the school as early as possible on the day of their child's absence/tardy. If parents/guardians call before the school office is open, they may leave a message on the voice mail system. Calling does not exempt the parent or guardian from sending a note.

2. A student who is absent must bring a note signed by his/her parent/guardian or a health professional stating the reason for the absence.

3. A student who is absent must provide a note within a time period not to exceed five (5) days from the date the student returns to school or the absence will be unexcused. The parent/guardian is responsible to ensure that the note is turned in to the school attendance office. If the note is sent by the parent/guardian through the student, the parent/guardian is encouraged to follow-up with the attendance clerk to verify receipt.

4. A health professional's statement will be accepted for the student's personal illness only or for a severe illness in the home.

5. Students on school-sponsored trips are counted present and are responsible for make-up work.

6. Court appearances are excused if signed by the judge or the clerk of the court for a reasonable amount of time.

7. Request for an excused absence other than those stated in this provision of the Code of Acceptable Behavior & Discipline must be made in advance to the principal.

8. When the school notifies a parent/guardian a student is sick and should be picked up, absence for the remainder of that day shall be excused without the necessity of a parent/medical note. In the event there are subsequent absences a parent/medical note will be required for those absences to be excused. The school nurse and the attendance clerk shall communicate regarding these absent events.

 

 

 

Make-up Work

1. All work missed shall be made up by the student when he/she is absent from school.

2. Students are responsible for meeting due dates on all long-term projects or assignments unless an exception is approved due to an emergency or extenuating circumstances.

3. Students placed on home suspension shall be required to make up any assignments missed during the suspension.

4. Each Site Based Decision Making (SBDM) council shall adopt a policy to address credit for missed assignments.

 

 

 

Student Check-out Procedures

1. Students eighteen (18) years or older may check themselves out; however, the absence may be excused or unexcused as determined by the building principal or designee. An unexcused check out may result in a consequence under the Code of Acceptable Behavior & Discipline for skipping or other applicable offenses as determined by the building principal.

2. Students checking out for any reason other than the eight (8) valid reasons for absence will be unexcused, unless special permission has been granted by the school's administration.

3. A student under the age of eighteen (18) years may only be checked out of school by the parent/guardian and by adults who have been listed on the Emergency Contact and Check Out Consent Form. Photo ID's will be required and any other person checking out a student.

4. A student who checks out must bring a note signed by his/her parent/guardian or a health professional stating the reason for the absence(s).

 

 

Lice Policy

Christian County has a "no live lice" policy. If the student has chronic/reoccurring head lice, any days missed after the first time the student is sent home will be unexcused. The principal may use discretion when making a decision concerning absences.

 

 

 

Military Leave

 

1. Armed Force Day (AFD)

If a student's parent, de facto custodian or other person with legal custody or control of the student is a member of the United States Armed Forces, including a member of a state National Guard or a Reserve component called to federal active duty, a public school principal shall give the student an excused absence for one day when the member is deployed and an additional excused absence for one day when the service member returns from deployment.

 

2. Armed Forces Rest and Relaxation (AFR) A public school principal shall give the student excused absences for up to 5 days for visitation when the member is stationed out of the country and is granted rest and recuperation leave per Garrison Commander. Parent(s)/Guardian shall complete the proper documentation prior to the absence. Documentation shall be on file for students taking an AFD day(s) and AFR day(s). If no documentation exists, student must be marked absent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Educational Enhancement Opportunities (EHO)

KRS 159.035 (s)

A student may be allowed up to ten (10) days per school year to participate in an educational enhancement opportunity that the principal determines to be of significant educational value. Participation in an educational foreign exchange program or an intensive instructional program in one of the core curriculum subjects of English, science, mathematics, social studies, foreign language or the arts could be considered an educational enhancement opportunity. Days on which students have been approved by the principal to participate in such an opportunity will be included in aggregate daily attendance. During an Attendance Review, Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff will request documentation of the principal approval of EHO days.