Unexcused absence, excused absence, and tardy information
How many AUs or AEs can a student have before there are consequences?
- We have a 10-absent limit (please see the explanation below).
- If a student misses more than 10 minutes of a class period, they are considered absent.
- Unexcused absences will result in detention.
Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. When students miss more than 10 days in any class per semester (excused or unexcused), consideration would then be given by administration regarding loss of credit for that class. The limit of ten does NOT include absences due to school activities or funerals. Exceptions to the policy for extenuating circumstances may be granted on an individual basis.
Students are discouraged from taking vacations on school days or from scheduling appointments during school hours. If the need arises for a student to be absent from school for a family event, a court date or a doctor appointment on a school day, the parents/guardians must notify the office in advance, except in cases of emergency.
My student got an AU (absent unexcused), but it should have been excused.
The student should talk to their teacher to get the AU corrected. Any unexcused absences must be corrected within 24 hours by a parent/guardian to aid the accountability process and to ensure accurate attendance.
Attendance Policy From the Handbook:
The compulsory attendance law recognizes the educational value of regular attendance in school. Presence in a classroom aids in instilling self-discipline and exposes a student to group interactions with teachers and fellow students. Such presence also enables a student to hear and participate in class instruction, discussion, and other related learning experiences.
Regular attendance is necessary to ensure continuity in the education process and is the student’s responsibility. Class sessions are planned with the assumption that each student will be present. Furthermore, the office must be able to locate any student at any time during the day. With the exception of senior privileges, once on the school grounds in the morning, a student must remain on campus until the school day has ended.
Those who participate in student-organized days of absence, sometimes referred to as “skip days”, will be considered absent and required to follow the attendance procedure for parents/guardians to notify the school. The school is not able to sanction such activity and is unwilling to assume liability for physical damage or injury resulting from activity on studentorganized absence days. As in any other absence, students are responsible for making up class work missed on that day and it is included as part of the Ten Absence Limit.
ABSENCE DEFINITIONS
All absences are recorded as absences. However, for the purpose of recording absences, the following terms will be used:
- Excused absences (AE) are absences due to illness, family-related illness, family emergencies, funerals, vacations, medical appointments and other approved reasons. All work may be made up for full credit. The school office should be notified at least two days in advance. All work may be made up for full credit, provided the school is aware of the absence.
- Unexcused absences (AU) are absences due to truancy, suspension, sent to the office for discipline reasons, sent to the office for dress code violations, oversleeping, or other unapproved reasons. Unexcused absences will result in a detention being issued to the student.
- Absences resulting from participation in school-sponsored events and activities do not apply and are not counted.
Tardy Policy
Find information on our tardy policy here: https://www.lhsparker.org/knowledge-base/tardy-policy
Find more information in our handbook: https://522659.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/522659/forms/handbooks/2022-23-Student-Parent-Handbook.pdf