Attendance Policy/Procedures

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND TARDY POLICIES

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY
In order to insure that O.J. DeJonge Middle School students are in regular attendance, the school will adhere to the following attendance policy, which delineates responsibilities by all parties:

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1.  Always check in or out at the attendance window or in the office if the window is closed.
2.  Bring parent notes to the attendance window for absences or being late.
3.  Be on time and in school.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1.  If your son/daughter will not be in school, please call the attendance office ASAP, at 231-845-3803, to verify the absence.
2.  If you do not call in, a note is required on the first day back to school.  

ATTENDANCE OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. The attendance office will call parents by 9:30 AM if their student is not present and we have not received a parent phone call.
2. The attendance office will send 5- and 10-day letters to parents to notify about absences.

ATTENDANCE CODES/POWERSCHOOL ATTENDANCE CHECKS
Absences are either verified or unverified, as determined by the parent/guardian’s contacting the attendance office on the day of or immediately following an absence.  The following codes will be used to note “verified,” “unverified” or a particular circumstance (bolded reasons for absence do not count in the total number of absences for the year):

AV = Absence Verified             RO = Religious Observance
AU = Absence Unverified        HB = Homebound
SK = Skip                                    ISS = In-school Suspension
SR = School Related                 OSS = Out-of-school Suspension
LP = Legal Proceeding             ------------
FN = Funeral                              T = Tardy

It is possible to check on your student’s attendance and tardy record on a regular basis through the Powerschool Parent Portal (see “PowerSchool Parent Portal and Grade Monitoring,” p.6).  These codes will be used to note absences and tardies.

ANTICIPATED ABSENCES
In cases when a student plans to be absent for a school-related or other matter, every effort should be made to notify teachers ahead of time and get assignments needed.  We encourage students to take the lead on speaking with their teachers in these matters.  It is expected that reasonable advance notice will be given.  In most cases, assignments are due upon the student’s return to school unless otherwise arranged with the teacher.

GUIDELINES FOR THE NUMBER OF ABSENCES  
1. If a student is absent five (5) days within the school year, either verified or unverified, the attendance office will notify the parent by letter.  (6 class period absences = 1 school day.)  A letter will also be sent to the parent when a student is absent ten (10) days within the school year.   A doctor’s note may be requested by the school at any time, as part of the verification process.  Please note that a tardy to class of more than 10 minutes will be counted as an absence.

2. If a student is absent a total of thirteen (13) days within the school year, the Attendance Committee (consisting of the Attendance Specialist, one or more administrators and a counselor) will determine if a meeting should be convened.   Any meeting will be held with the parent, student, police liaison officer, juvenile court staff, principal and/or the school attendance specialist to sign an acknowledgement form.  At the time of this meeting, juvenile court staff will inform the parent and child of the possibility of being petitioned to the court and being placed in the juvenile court’s Truancy Program if additional absences occur.  

3. Absences beyond fourteen (14) days may be turned over to the Mason County Prosecutor’s Office and truancy charges completed. Factors indicating good faith on the part of students and their families to be present in school on a regular basis will be considered as part of the decision-making process for referral.  The Attendance Committee will make all decisions regarding court referral.

TARDIES
We want students to get the most out of their education, and that starts with being on time to their classes.  Sometimes things happen and a person is late, and because we understand that fact there is no punishment for the first two tardies in a class.  Beyond that, however, there are consequences as noted below.
1 Tardy                            Verbal Warning
2 Tardies                         Verbal Warning
3 Tardies                          Lunch Detention and Parent Contact
4 Tardies                          After School Detention and Parent Contact
5 Tardies                          After School Detention  and Parent Meeting
Further Offenses            Additional consequences, may include suspension

Lunch detention will be held in a classroom and monitored by a staff member.   Students may bring their lunch or get one in the Lunch Room.  While in detention they may eat, study, read, do homework, but they may not talk.  It is not a social environment.   They may not use electronic equipment.  After school detention will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the school year from 3:00-4:00.   Students assigned to after school detention must bring homework and/or reading materials and must use the time productively.