Students » Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy

Foshay Learning Center
Attendance Policy
(SBM Approved 10/11/07)

Satisfactory school progress is dependent upon regular attendance.

Excused Absences are those resulting from:
  • Illness absence with a doctor’s note OR authorization by an authorized school official          (Nurse, PSA, etc).
  • Exclusion from school, documented by doctor, school nurse or other authorized school official.
  • Medical appointments, verified by a note from the doctor.
  • Quarantine of the home, verified by health department.
  • Funeral of immediate family member of student (1 day in state, 3 days out of state).
  • Written verification of personal reasons, such as court appearance, observance of religious holiday or ceremony, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or other government agency appointments.

Unexcused Absence: Absences where a parent writes a note explaining a student’s absence and the explanation does not meet the criteria for an excused absence.
  • 4 Unexcused Absences - teacher warns the student that he/she can only miss one more day
  • 5 Unexcused Absence - teacher refers student to the Counseling Office
    • Counselor Reviews: Student grades, work habits and cooperation marks, and the importance of developing positive habits.
  • 6 Unexcused Absences - parent notification via letter and conference with the Assistant Principal (AP) or Pupil Attendance Services (PSA)
  • 8 Unexcused Absences - parent notification via letter, conference with AP, referral to Operation Bright Future, and possible citation or conference with School Police.
  • 10 Unexcused Absences – Student may be referred to School Attendance Review Team (SART) and detention
  • 12  Unexcused Absences- Student may be referred to School Attendance Review Board (SARB) and detention
*NOTE:  PSA & AP have discretion regarding when to pursue SART’s & SARB’s

When returning to school after an absence, students must:
  1. Bring a signed and dated note from parents or guardians stating the reason for the absence.
  2. Take the note to the attendance office before returning to class.
  3. Absences that are not cleared will be marked as truant. 
*Note: Teachers, if the ISIS roster shows that a student has not cleared an absence you must send the student to the Attendance Office so the absence can be cleared.

Truancy – when a student is absent from class or from school
without teacher permission or an excused reason, the student is considered truant.
The following are considered truancies:
  1. Absent without an excused reason (see excused absences)
  2. Leaving the school grounds during the day without permission
  3. Staying out of class without permission
  4. 3 or more tardies, for more than any 30 minute period during the school day without an excused reason

Consequences for Truancy
  • 1 All day truancy or when first caught: student is referred by the teacher to the Counseling Office and the counselor assigns TWO hours detention, reviews the school’s attendance policy and the laws that support it, the responsibility of a student to attend school, the possibility of a citation by a police officer, and contacts the parents by phone to inform them of the current situation- a severe (more than three truancies) case will be referred to the PSA and result in an immediate parent conference (parent notification via letter).
  • 2 to 4 All day truancies: Teacher refers student to PSA or AP for parent conference and truancy letter sent via US mail, TWO hours detention is assigned and possible citation
    • Failure to attend detention may result in an In School Suspension
  • 5 to 6 All day truancies: Teacher refers student to PSA or AP for parent conference (parent notification/truancy letter sent via US mail), TWO hours detention, possible citation, and  referral to SART (School Attendance Review Team)
  • 7 + All day truancies: Teacher refers student to PSA or AP for parent conference (parent notification and truancy letter sent via US mail), TWO hours detention, possible citation, possible in School Suspension (Supervised by the PSA) and possible referral to SARB (School Attendance Review Board, which can lead to legal prosecution.)
*Note:
  • Uncleared Absences = Truancy, if the absence is not cleared when the student returns to school.
  • PSA & AP have discretion regarding when to pursue SART’s & SARB’s

Tardies
  • TNT: Students tardy for 1st and 2nd period receive notice of one hour detention and then go to class and the teacher records the tardy in ISIS. TNT, will be implemented for periods 3-8 (students will also be given one hour detention notice). Although the students are sent to the Dean’s Office, the teachers are to specify the appropriate center for counseling on the referral.
  • 1 to 3 Tardies: Teacher reviews the school’s Attendance Policy with the student.
  • 4 to 5 Tardies: Teacher refers the student to the Counseling Office and the counselor conferences with the student and contacts the parent.
  • 6 to 7 Tardies: Teacher refers the student to the Dean’s Office and the Dean conferences with the student and contacts the parent.
  • 8 + Tardies:  Teacher refers the student to the PSA; the PSA assigns detention, conferences with the student, and notifies parents via phone or letter (parent notification via letter).

*Note: The teacher may choose not to send the tardy student to the Dean’s Office during periods 3-8 and may fill out and submit the referral at a later time to the attendance office.


Incentives
  • Bi-Monthly Awards to the top 2 classes (Regular Attendance)
    • Certificate
    • Fast Pass for Lunch (5 minutes before the bell rings for lunch and valid for only one day)
    • Ice Cream
    • Pizza
    • Class Trophy (rotating monthly)
  • Recognition awards for the Semester
    • Certificate for students with 100% attendance
      • Fast Pass for Lunch (5 minutes before the bell rings for lunch and valid for only one day)
      • Concert or Field Trip
    • Certificates for students with 95% + attendance
      • Fast Pass for Lunch (5 minutes before the bell rings for lunch and valid for only one day)
    • Certificate for students who improve attendance by 10%

Student Incentives
  • Raffles (end of the year)
    • Tickets to Amusement Park
    • Company donations (Boutte & Lenon)
    • USC Sporting events tickets

You can download a copy of the Foshay Attendance Policy in English or Spanish by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page:

English:  Foshay Attendance Policy Final Eng.doc
Spanish: Foshay Attendance Policy_Span.doc