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Parents » Attendance Guidelines

Attendance Guidelines

 
MIke O’Callaghan Middle School i3 Learn Academy
 
Attendance Guidelines
 
(CCSD Regulation 5113)

 

Attendance enforcement is a shared responsibility between the Clark County School District, and the student’s parent or legal guardian. The parent, legal guardian, or other person in the state of Nevada having control or charge of any student is required to send the student to school during all times that the public school is in session (NRS 392.040).
 
A student enrolled in grades six through twelve in a secondary school setting who misses more than thirty (30) minutes of the instructional period has missed an essential part of the learning experience. Therefore, for purposes of this regulation, a secondary student who is more than thirty minutes (30) late to any class period shall be counted absent from that class, and the teacher shall mark the roll book accordingly.

 

ABSENCES

Limitation of Absences:

The Nevada Revised Statutes provide corrective steps and/or sanctions are taken or applied when a student does not attend school.
  1. Excess Absenteeism; Issuance of Failing Grades; Retention:
  2. Secondary students who exceed ten (10) unapproved absences in any course during the semester shall receive a failing semester grade for that course.
  3. For the purpose of this subsection, all prearranged absences in excess of ten (10) during a school year shall be considered unapproved. All prearranged absences for which the makeup work was not completed and submitted as specified by the teacher shall be considered unapproved.
  4. Students who lose credits in three (3) or more classes may be referred to an alternative education program.

Classification of Absences:

Determination for proper classification of an absence requires the exercise of judgment on the part of the teacher or principal. To evaluate proper classification of an absence, the school may reasonably inquire, investigate, and/or request further documentation from the parent/guardian.
 
Absences from class or school due to a student’s participation in a school sanctioned activity or absences resulting from a student’s suspension or required parent conference shall not be counted as absences for the purpose of attendance enforcement.

 

Approved Absences

Explanations by the parent, legal guardian, or physician stating the reason a student was absent within the meaning of sections 1-4 as listed below must be presented to the attendance office no later than three (3) days after the student returns to school. Absences shall be approved for the purposes of attendance enforcement when:
  1. A student is physically or mentally unable to attend school, or the absence is related to the student’s disability.
  2. Approval of the teacher or principal has been given for an unavoidable absence due to an emergency.
  3. Student is absent due to a required court appearance or religious holiday.
  4. The absence has been prearranged upon written request of parent or legal guardian.
 

Unapproved Absences; Notice of Truancy

An absence is unapproved when:
  1. The prearranged absence was not requested in writing in advance of the absence;
  2. Absence was not due to a physical or mental inability of the student to attend school, the student’s disability, an emergency, a required court appearance or religious holiday;
  3. The absence from class or school was without written permission from the principal or teacher;
  4. Parent/guardian or person in charge of student failed to notify the school with the reason student was physically or mentally unable to attend, or the nature of the emergency, court appearance or religious holiday within three (3) days after the student returned to school;
  5. Student failed or refused to attend school when so directed by the parent or legal guardian or school official; or,
  6. The parent/legal guardian or person having charge of the student failed or refused to require the student’s attendance at school.
 
An unapproved absence for one or more class periods or the equivalent of one or more class periods during a school day shall be deemed truancy (NRS 392.130 (2). If a student has been declared truant three times for unapproved absences, the principal of the school shall report the student to a school police officer or the local law enforcement agency for investigation of habitual truancy and issuance of a citation, if warranted, in accordance with NRS 392.149 (NRS 392.144). The Nevada Revised Statutes do not distinguish between truancy resulting from an action of the students and that of the parent or legal guardian.

Any child who has once been declared a habitual truant and who in an immediately succeeding year is absent from school without a valid excuse may again be declared a habitual truant.

 

Prearranged Absences

Parents/guardians may prearrange absences for their children in advance of the absence and in writing. Regulation 5113 classifies up to ten (10) prearranged absences during a school year as approved. However, prearranged absences in excess of ten (10) during the school year will count toward the limitation of absences.

 
O’Callaghan students demonstrating poor attendance habits, which are in violation of Clark County School District guidelines, may be placed on a Request for Parent Conference or a Notice of Required Parent Conference as determined by the Dean of Students and approved school district policy.

 

ABSENCE NOTES

In an effort to maintain the highest degree of accuracy and to insure proper accounting of student absences, students with written notes are to check-in with the Attendance Clerk in the dean’s office prior to the beginning of the school on the day of the student’s return from an absence, regardless of whether the student has a note excusing the absence or not. It is required that students bring absence notes even if the attendance office has been notified by phone of a student’s reason for absence. The note must be submitted within three (3) days of the absence or the absence is recorded as unexcused.

 
Parents may contact the Attendance Clerk 799-7340 ext. 4035 or 4500, if there are any questions concerning student attendance or O’Callaghan attendance policies.

 

Absence notes should be in the following format:

Date of Note: Month/Day/Year

Student’s First and Last Name: John Doe

Student’s Grade: 7th Student # 1234567

First and Last Date of Absence: mm/dd/yy-mm/dd/yy

Reason for Absence: Illness

Parent Signature:________________________

Telephone Number: Home # / Work #

(Please indicate a phone number where the note may be verified)