Attendance Policy
MINEOLA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ABSENT LINE: 516-237-2689
Educational achievements demand consistent school attendance. Mineola High School’s goal is to reduce unexcused absences, tardiness and early departures, to encourage regular attendance, to maintain an attendance record keeping system, to identify patterns of unexcused absences, tardiness and early departures and to develop strategies to improve school attendance.
Students between the ages of six and sixteen are required to attend school under New York State Education Law. It is imperative that each student and parent be aware of the importance of regular attendance and understands the consequences of excessive absence. Continuing cooperation between the school and home is a necessity if students are to realize the full potential of the educational program. The following regulations are intended to encourage high school students to stay in school and attend classes regularly.
The attendance policy for the 2011/2012 school year is as follows:
Parent/guardian must report the absence or tardiness of their child to the attendance office each morning (237- 2689).
Every absence, tardiness and early departure must be accounted for. Parents/guardians are responsible for notifying the attendance office within 24 hours of the absence or tardiness by providing a written excuse upon the student’s return to school.
Excused absences, tardiness and early departures are defined as absences, tardiness, and early departures from class or school due to personal illness, illness or death in the family, inclement weather, religious observance, required court appearances, doctor appointments, approved college visits, approved cooperative work programs, military obligations or such other reasons as may be approved by the principal.
All other absences, tardiness and early departures will be considered unexcused absences. Examples of unexcused absences and lateness are: truancy, car trouble, work, missing the bus, and oversleeping.
Failure to bring a note makes the absence or tardiness an unexcused one or truancy, and may result in disciplinary action. Those actions may include parent/guardian conferences, detention, or suspension. Students may also be denied the privilege of participation in or attending extracurricular events.
If a student cuts or is absent (unexcused) from a class 6 or more times during a semester course or alternate day course, he/she will be denied credit for that course.
If a student cuts or is absent (unexcused) from a yearlong class 12 or more times during the year he/she will be denied credit for that course.
If credit is denied because of absences, the student will receive a Denial of Credit / Failure Mark.
Those students who wish to retake a failed course in summer school must continue to attend the course even if they are denied credit due to absence.
If a student cuts or is absent (unexcused) from a yearlong course 24 or more times during the school year, he/she will not be allowed to attend summer school for that course. If a student cuts or is absent (unexcused) from a semester course or alternate day course 12 or more times during the school year, he/she will not be allowed to attend summer school for that course.
Absences that are school related, i.e. field trips, music lessons, do not count toward the unexcused absence total.
Absences or late notes will be accepted up to one month after the date of the absences or tardiness. At the end of the semester or school year, notes will be accepted up to one week after the last day of the class for that course.
Absences or late notes may be faxed into the high school at 237-2608 or 237-2618 – Attention: Attendance Office.
A student may appeal the denial of credit to the Attendance Appeals Board. Members of the administration and a teacher will be present at the appeal. A parent must accompany those students under the age of 18 when the appeal is heard. An appeal must be scheduled within five (5) days of receiving notification about course denial.
Seniors must maintain a course load of 7 credits throughout their senior year. If credit is denied during the senior year due to absence, it may jeopardize a senior’s graduation.
To ensure that parents and students are aware of the implications of this minimum attendance requirement, the teacher or other designated staff member(s) will advise students at risk and will contact the parent(s) of students at risk by telephone and / or mail at appropriate intervals prior to the student reaching 6 for a semester course or 12 for a year-long unexcused absence, tardiness and/or early departures.
Students who are unable to attend school or a class on a given day due to their participation in a school-sponsored activity (i.e., music lessons, field trips) may arrange with their teachers to make-up any work missed. This also applies to any student who is absent, tardy or leaves early from school or a class for an excused reason.
Students with excused absences, tardiness and/or early departures are expected upon their return to consult with their teachers regarding missed work.
Only those students with excused absences, tardiness and/or departures will be given the opportunity to make up a test or other missed work and/or turn in a late assignment for inclusion in their final grade. The teacher shall specify a date as to when make up assignments shall be completed and turned in.
Arrival/Departure from School
Students, once they have arrived in the morning, are not permitted to leave the school grounds for any reason unless approved by personnel in the Attendance Office and are signed out. Unauthorized leaving of school grounds may result in suspension from school. In addition, students are the responsibility of the school until they are dismissed in the afternoon. Students must have a pass from the Attendance Office in order to leave the school building.
For students in grades 10-12 who do not have a scheduled Period 1 class, late arrival to school – in time for Homeroom at 8:12 A.M. – is permitted.
For students in grades 10-12 who do not have a scheduled Period 9 class, early departure from school – at the conclusion of Period 8 – is permitted if a note from the parent/guardian is presented to the attendance office at the beginning of the semester. This is assuming that the student does not need to return for extracurricular activities. If a 10th or 11th grade student has 9th period free and elects to remain in the building, he/she must report to an assigned study hall. There will be no loitering around school.
A parent/guardian request for a student to leave for a medical, dental or other professional appointment must include the signature of the parent/guardian and must be presented to the attendance office when the student arrives that morning. It is important that the note requesting dismissal include:
1. Time of dismissal.
2. Name and phone # of parent/guardian.
3. Departure time and anticipated time of return.
If a note is not provided, phone call verification must be made to the parent/guardian. When students are leaving early for any of the above reasons, a parent/guardian must come to the Attendance Office window to sign the student out of school. Anyone other than a parent/guardian must show identification and a note from the parent/guardian for permission to release the student.
If a student leaves school without Attendance Office approval, all absences from classes missed will be considered unexcused and subject to disciplinary action. It is unacceptable for the parent/guardian to excuse the student after the student leaves the building without permission.
Long-term Absence
If a student is absent from school for three or more days, medical documentation of the absence must be submitted to the attendance office and/or nurse upon the student’s return to school. A student may be provided with homebound instruction if the student is absent for a prolonged period of time due to a short-term physical, mental or emotional illness.
Lateness to School
Students must sign in at the Attendance Office whenever arriving on school grounds after the start of classes. This rule is applicable to students arriving at school for the first time during a given school day as well as students returning from an appointment.
The attendance for the school will be taken in a Homeroom period during the first four minutes of period 2. Attendance is also taken in each class period. If you have a first period class, you must arrive on time and report to your period 1 class at 7:26 A.M.
A student scheduled for a first period class who arrives to school late from 7:26 to 7:30 A.M. must report to their Period 1 class where the teacher will handle the lateness problem.
After 7:30 A.M., the student must report to the Attendance Office. A pass will be issued indicating “excused” or “unexcused” lateness. Detention will be given to students who arrive late to school for unexcused reasons.