Attendance

School Attendance Policy

It is imperative that students be in attendance each School day in order not to miss a significant portion of their education. Important learning outcomes result from active participation in classroom and other School activities, which cannot be replaced by individual study. The School is also concerned about helping students develop a high quality work ethic, which will be a significant factor in their success with future employers. One of the most important work habits that employers look for in hiring and promoting a worker is his/her dependability in coming to work every day and on time. This is a habit the School wants to help students develop as early as possible in their School careers.

Truancy

Unexcused absence from School (truancy) is not acceptable. A "habitual truant" is defined as a student who has ten (10) or more days of unexcused absences in one (1) school year. All students who are at least thirteen (13) years of age but less than the age of fifteen (15) years, and who are determined to be a habitual truant per the definition above, are subject to Indiana Code 20-33-2-11, which provides that any person who is determined to be a habitual truant as defined by school board policy cannot be issued an operator's license or learner's permit until the age of 18 years, or until the student’s attendance record has improved as determined by the principal upon review of the student's record of at least once per school year.

The student’s principal is required to report to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles of the student’s status as a habitual truant. The student upon initial designation of being a habitual truant is entitled to the same statutory procedures as a student who is being expelled.

Students who are truant may receive no credit for schoolwork that is missed. Habitual truancy can result in:

A. Assignment to an alternative placement with loss of participation in School activities and events;
B. A loss of driver's license through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles;
C. A referral to truancy court;
D. A report to juvenile authorities;
E. A report to local authorities concerning lack of parental responsibility in providing proper care and supervision of a child. F. A recommendation to the Porter County Truancy Court.

Excused Absences

Students may be excused from School for one of the following reasons and will be provided an opportunity to make-up missed schoolwork and/or tests:

A. Members of and students who participate in any Indiana wing of the military;
B. Personal illness but not illness in the family unless the circumstances are approved by the principal;
C. Death in the immediate family;
D. Bona-fide religious holiday;
E. Professional appointments that cannot be scheduled at non-school times;
F. Two college visits for 11th or 12th grade students (or more with principal permission);
G. Statutory reasons as provided by Indiana Code 33-2-14, -15, -16, -17, 17.2 and -17.5 (Note: Absences for any of these statutory reasons are excused).

Students with a health condition that causes repeated absence are to provide the School office with an explanation of the condition from a licensed physician or other qualified practitioner as provided in Indiana Code 20-33-2-18.

Parents must provide an explanation for their child's absence by no later than 24 hours from the day of the absence. Advance notice or notification on the day of the absence is preferred. Parents are to call the school office and explain the reason for the absence. If the absence can be foreseen the parent should arrange to discuss the matter as many days as possible before the absence will occur so that arrangements can be made to assist the student in making up the missed School work.

Students who are excusably absent for more than 4 days in a grading period, regardless of the reasons, will be considered "frequently absent". If there is a pattern of frequent absence for "illness", the parents may be required to provide a statement from a physician describing the health condition that is causing the frequent illness and the treatment that is being provided to rectify the condition.

During the next grading period, a "frequently-absent" student may be placed on "attendance watch" to monitor whether or not the pattern continues. If it continues, the student may be denied the opportunity to participate in non-curricular-school activities and events and a notation made on his/her transcript concerning his/her frequent absence from School. Such a report may be provided postsecondary institutions and/or possible employers. Students who miss 18 or more days (10% of the school year) of school are considered Chronically Absent and are also subject to Juvenile Probation referrals.

To Report an Absence