ATTENDANCE:  Regular daily attendance is an important factor in a child's success in school. A student who has irregular school attendance misses important classroom activities, gets behind in schoolwork, becomes frustrated, can develop a poor attitude in school and is more likely to drop out. Encouragement and the expectation that a child will attend school daily, starting with the first day of kindergarten and continuing throughout his/her school career, teaches children that school is important and is the foundation of a good work ethic.

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES:  Achieving the vision of healthy childrenready to learn is critical to the achievement of high academic standards, resulting in a productive, committed citizen. The Districts focus on an attendance policy and programming, coupled with school climate and increased academic performance, offers a unique opportunity to engage the entire school community parents, staff, students, and community members in a process which will build upon the strengths of all concerned.

For students with an excessive number of days absent or tardy, district personnel will try to identify the root causes and seek solutions to the problems. They will work with families and will look for ways to foster better family relationships and improve student attendance. Where necessary, they will help parents find ways to set appropriate limits for children.  In addition, referrals to outside agencies may be made. If a pattern or trend of excessive absences are noted, action will be considered to help ensure the health and well-being of the student (e.g., contacting the prosecutors office or child protective services).

Let's work as a school community to improve school attendance. The message is simple. Miss a day.....Miss a lot!

ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE/TARDIES/POLICIES

Attendance is necessary to the success of each child. However, if the child has a contagious condition or temperature over 100° they must remain at home until no longer contagious and/or temperature free for 24 hours. Additionally, if a child is at school and has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher or there are signs of a contagious condition, the parent will be contacted to pick up the child. If a parent or emergency contact cannot be reached by phone, a note will be sent home with the child. The administrative staff has adopted the following rules for student attendance.

          1. When a student is absent, the parent/guardian must call the school or secretarys voice mail to report the illness by 9:00 a.m. For the protection of the student, if we dont hear from you, an attempt will be made to call home. When your child returns to school, he/she must also bring a written note explaining the absence. Without notification your childs absence will be marked unexcused. If unexcused absences are excessive, the student may be asked to bring a doctors note for further absences.

2. When student absences and/or tardies are determined to be excessive (10 days), their attendance record will be reviewed by the building administration and further action will be taken.  In the fall of each year parents will receive a copy of a letter from the Lake County Prosecutors office stressing the importance of attendance. Parents can expect to be notified when their childs absence reaches five days and again when absences reach ten. Additional absences will result in the principal completing a referral to the Lake County Prosecutors Office.

3 Any student absent from school may not participate in after school activities on the day the illness occurs.