FLOYD COUNTY ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students are expected to attend the school in which they are enrolled, regularly and punctually, in order to benefit from the instructional program and to develop habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility.  The Floyd County Board of Education believes that there is a direct relationship between good attendance and high achievement.  Students who have good attendance generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more, and are much better adjusted to live in our society.

Attendance Regulations

Attendance will be calculated as follows:

 

• A tardy shall be recorded for a pupil who is absent less than 35 percent of the regularly –scheduled school day.
• A full day absence shall be recorded for a student who is absent more than 84 percent of the regularly-scheduled school day.
• A half-day absence shall be recorded for a student who is absent 35 percent to 84 percent of the regularly-scheduled school day.

A chart will be located in the office at each school and online at the Floyd County Schools website (www.floyd.schoolfusion.us) to help parents determine how a check-in or check-out will be recorded (as a tardy, half-day absence, or full-day absence).  

 

Parents will need to send a signed note to school anytime a child is absent - including tardies - within two days of the student returning to school after an absence.  If a valid note is not received within the two day limit, the absence will be recorded as unexcused.  A note is required even if the parent noted the reason on the sign-in/out log at the time of check-in or check-out.

 

Parents are encouraged to keep track of their child’s attendance through the “Parent Portal” online application. Information on how to access the Parent Portal can be obtained in the office of each school.   

 

Excused Absence from School

Students who are absent from school are required to have a legitimate excuse.  Within two (2) days of a student’s return to school, he/she shall present a written and dated note signed by the parent(s)/guardian(s) or physician explaining the absence.  If a note is not received within two (2) days, the absence shall be deemed unexcused.  A maximum of four (4) school days per semester may be excused with a signed note from a parent/guardian or doctor.  If there are more than four (4) days excused by a doctor, a form available at the school* must be completed by the doctor and returned for review by school officials.  Parents anticipating a student’s extended absence (five or more days) should contact the school for information on home/hospital instruction.

 

*Students who are absent because of a chronic or recurring illness are required to have a doctor’s form on file with the school office.  This form is used to indicate that an existing chronic condition may cause the student to be absent from school beyond four (4) days per semester.  The form will only pertain to excuses from the doctor completing the form and will become effective on the date provided (not retroactively).

 

An excused absence or tardy is one for which work may be made up, such as:

1.     Illness of the pupil;

2.     Death or severe illness in the pupil’s immediate family (three (3) days are allowed for the death of one’s parent, grandparent, or sibling; one (1) day is allowed for the death of one’s aunt, uncle, or cousin. Exceptions for extenuating circumstances may be approved by the Principal/designee);

3.     Medical or dental appointments that cannot be made after school.  Such appointments shall be verified by physician’s or dentist’s statement confirming date and time;

4.     Unexpected Illness – If the school nurse, health aide, or Principal/designee determines that a student should not be in school, this will be considered an excused absence for the remainder of the day and will not be counted against the parent/guardian absence notes;

5.     Lice – If the student is sent home, he/she will be excused for the remainder of that day (see the section on Lice for more information);

6.     Court summons and subpoenas;

7.     Religious Holidays and Practices approved in advance by the principal;

8.     Driver’s license test or examination;

9.     One (1) day for attendance at the Kentucky State Fair; or

10.   Other valid reasons as determined by the principal/designee**.

 

 

**The principal shall have the authority to grant additional days upon proof being present by a parent/guardian of illness requiring hospitalization, treatment by a doctor, or similar emergencies.

 

With proper documentation, the following excused absences will not count as one of the four (4) parent/guardian/doctor excused days:

 

1.     Court appearance (only for the portion of the day required and with documentation from the court); and/or

2.     Driver’s permit or license tests (only for the portion of the day required and with documentation from the examiner).

 

 

Education Enhancement Opportunities (EHO)

 

An Educational Enhancement Opportunity is a trip or an activity that may enhance a child’s education.  Students are allowed up to 10 days of excused absence per year for this purpose.  The proposed activity must have significant educational value and be related to the core curriculum.  To request an Educational Enhancement Opportunity, an application must be filled out and returned to the school principal for approval.  This type of absence cannot occur during the school’s State Testing or District-Wide assessments, unless there are extenuating circumstances approved by the principal.  Decisions may be appealed to the Superintendent and then to the Board of Education.  A student approved for EHO credit shall be considered present in school during the absence for the purposes of calculating attendance. 

 

Unexcused Absence from School

 

Make-up work shall be required for students with unexcused absences.  All credit for Make-up work will be reduced by twenty percent (20%) for students with unexcused absences.

 

Suspensions

 

House Bill 43 states that out-of-school suspensions are unexcused absences.  Projects or work assigned prior to a suspension and due during the time of suspension shall be accepted for credit.  Long-term projects assigned during the suspension and due at a date after the conclusion of the suspension shall be accepted for grading if the work earns a passing grade.  Students on suspension will be permitted to attend school to take a nine (9) week exam, and/or a semester/final exam, and required state assessment only during the time of day that the exam or assessment is administered.

 

Tardiness

 

1.     A student is considered tardy if arrival to homeroom, classroom, or assigned area occurs after the designated starting time (8:00AM or 8:15AM depending upon the school).

2.     A tardy may also be recorded for any student leaving school prior to dismissal.

3.     The process for determining whether tardiness is excused or unexcused is identical to that for excused and unexcused absences.

 

Check In/Check-Out Process

If a student is to be picked-up/leave early, the custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) or designee shall report to the principal’s office to sign for the student’s release.  Each school shall maintain a daily entry and exit log of students signing in late or signing out early.  Individuals must show proof of identification (visual identification by an employee, driver’s license, picture identification, etc.) in order to pick up the student.

 

Signing in late or leaving early will result in an absence or tardy for the part of the school day that the student is absent. All check-in/check-outs are unexcused until a note is presented upon the student’s return to school.  Non-emergency activities and appointments should be scheduled after school hours.

 

PROCESS TO ADDRESS UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

 

1st unexcused absence:  Call from school to Parent(s)/Guardian(s)

2nd unexcused absence:  Letter from school to Parent(s)/Guardian(s)

3rd unexcused absence:  Meeting at school with Parent(s)/Guardian(s) and Principal/designee

4th unexcused absence:    Referral is made by school to Director of Pupil Personnel; Home Visit is made

5th unexcused absence: Call from school to Parent(s)/Guardian(s)

6th unexcused absence: Referral to court due to habitual truancy

 

Co-Curricular Activities

Students may participate in co-curricular activities and be counted as being in attendance during the instructional school day.  Co-curricular activities and trips are instructional in nature, directly related to the instructional program, and scheduled to minimize absences from classroom instruction.

 

Extra-Curricular Activities

Students who participate in extra-curricular activities (basketball team, football team, golf team, dance team, etc.) during the instructional school day will be counted absent for that part of the school day that the student is not in attendance. Absences resulting from school-related extra-curricular activities will be excused absences. 

Exception:  Effective with its passing on April 13, 2010, HB 327 allows student athletes competing in a regional or state tournament on a regularly scheduled school day to be counted present on the date or dates of the competition, for a maximum of two days per student per year.

 

Perfect Attendance

A student has perfect attendance if he/she has zero (0) absences and zero (0) tardies.  Absences due to school sponsored/approved events shall not be considered when calculating absences for the purpose of determining perfect attendance.

 

Lice

The day that a student is sent home with lice will be considered excused.  An absence on the second day may be excused if determined by the Principal/designee to have been necessary for treatment.  Students are expected to return to school ‘nit free’ on the second day (or no later than the third day if the second day was determined to be necessary for treatment).  Any further absence will be unexcused.

 

Home/Hospital Instruction

If a student must be absent from school for five (5) or more consecutive days due to illness or surgery, he/she may be eligible for Home/Hospital Instruction.  Also, if a student has a condition that requires ongoing treatments, he/she may qualify for Intermittent Home/Hospital Instruction.  Please check with your school or the Central Office for more information.

 

Parent/Guardian Choice

During the first three days of enrollment, parents can choose the school that their child will attend.  After that period, an attendance boundary appeal form must be submitted and approved for transfers to any school other than the home school.  The attendance boundary appeal form will only be approved for one of the following reasons:

1.     Conveniences of morning and/or afternoon child care, and/or parent/guardian place of employment.

2.     Documented medical and/or psychological issues as per state and district policies.

Attendance boundary waiver requests that are based on some dislike of the school of assignment within the attendance boundary will not be approved.

Parents will be responsible for transporting their children to and from school.

Students who are attending out of their home attendance area must meet the same requirements as non-resident students (see A, B, and C below).  Any violation of these standards will result in a transfer back to the home school.  Any transfer back to the home school will be for the remainder of the school year.

 

Non-Resident Students

Non-Resident students are students who do not live in Floyd County, but attend schools in Floyd County.  The Floyd County Board of Education has agreements (on a reciprocating basis) with surrounding school systems for non-resident students to attend schools in Floyd County in regard to the following policy and restrictions.

Provided cap sizes are not exceeded, non-resident students may be admitted to the district’s schools in accordance with Board policy and upon approval of the Superintendent.  Non-resident students must be in good standing with the previous district of attendance prior to their enrollment in the District’s schools.  Parents will be responsible for transporting their children to and from school.

1.       The student shall comply with the District’s attendance policy (not be a habitual truant).

2.       The student shall show appropriate academic progress as determined by his/her teacher(s) and the Principal (passing at least four classes); and

3.       The student shall comply with the District’s “Code of Conduct”.

 

Any violations of this policy shall cause non-resident students to be immediately withdrawn from the Floyd County School System and returned to their home district.