HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
HIGHLAND ATTENDANCE INTERVENTION
Students are expected to be in each class, in their seat, on time, ready to learn, every day. Attendance is one of the most essential pieces in receiving an education and preparing students for future success in college and/or career. Not attending, or being late to class, results in missing valuable information and makes it extremely difficult for student learning to occur.
A parent/guardian has 3 days to provide medical documentation to the school following a medical visit in order to verify the absence, otherwise the absence will remain coded as “absent.”
Student Absences at the Secondary Level
Students are allowed 5 unexcused absences in a trimester without a consequence. On a student's 6th unexcused absence they will receive a truancy. Additional truancies will be issued for continued unexcused absences.
Attendance reports are reviewed at least once a week at which time truancies, the assigned consequences, and notifications are distributed.
If a student is going to be absent for extenuating circumstances, please contact school administration in order to minimize the impact on the students education and to possibly avoid a truancy.
Truancies and Assigned Consequences
Whether a student is found truant from a class or classes, has excessive absences leading to truancy, or has excessive tardies leading to truancy, the attendance issues will all be added together and result in the following consequences=
Appeal Process Due to Excessive Absences
If a parent/guardian and/or the student wish to appeal the consequences of a 4th truancy the following procedure applies:
The parent/guardian and/or the student has 5 school days from the date of the 3rd truancy to appeal the loss of credit and/or additional consequences due to excessive absences. They must contact and speak with a school administrator for an appeal.
The criteria for an appeal to be considered includes:
The student has a passing grade in the class or classes in which they have excessive absences.
The student does not have any behavior requiring intervention from school administration since the 3rd truancy.
If the student requesting the appeal does not meet the criteria listed above, the student’s appeal will be denied and they will receive the consequences assigned to a 4th truancy. The parent/guardian and/or student can request an additional review from district administration if desired.
Make-Up Privileges
Regular daily attendance is expected for all high school students. Students will be expected to make up work missed as a result of absences, including school sponsored events. Time allowed for this is based on the number of days the student was absent plus one more school day. Teachers do have the discretion to extend the number of days allowed on a case by case basis. Make up work should be completed outside of instructional time. Students that are truant/suspended may only make up work at the discretion of the teacher and/or an administrator.
Finals
Students absent on the day of a final will receive a zero on the final. Requests to make up a final must be made within one school day. Requests will be granted at the discretion of the school administration. Taking a final at a different time than on finals days must be approved by school administration.
Student Tardiness at the Secondary Level
Students who arrive late disrupt the learning environment of the classroom. Tardiness at the secondary level is a condition for which a student arrives less than 15 minutes after the start of class. Any student who is tardy beyond 15 minutes of class time may be reported as absent or truant. The Teacher and/or Attendance Clerk are responsible for monitoring and recording student tardiness. Beyond possible teacher consequences assigned for tardiness, every 5 tardies in a class period is considered a truancy.
Corrective action for student tardiness is within the scope of student discipline. Should a student be under the jurisdiction of juvenile authorities, student tardiness shall be reported to the student’s probation officer.
