ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy Implementation Procedures ...

ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy Implementation Procedures 25-1.1 Attendance The schools, in loco parentis, have responsibility for the physical safety and well-being of the students. Attendance procedures are, in part, a means of carrying out this responsibility. Parents and Guardians The Code of Virginia requires, with certain exceptions, that parents/guardians send their children who have reached their fifth birthday and have not passed their eighteenth birthday to school. Parents/guardians are expected to notify the school, in writing, as early as possible of prearranged absences. Parents/guardians are encouraged to call the school attendance office when the child's absence is unexpected and prearranged notification was not possible. Parents/guardians shall contact the school office directly or forward a note of explanation immediately following a student's absence. Parents/guardians have a primary responsibility for disciplinary action associated with unwarranted student absences. Parents/guardians should notify the school if the student will not continue in Arlington Public Schools due to a transfer to another school system or a move. Students Students are expected to be self-disciplined, responsible citizens. Prompt attendance and participation in classes are their first responsibilities. Students are responsible for the delivery of written notification from parents/guardians as described above. Teachers Teachers are responsible for entering student attendance data at the beginning of the school day or the instructional period. Teachers are to report all class absences and assist students to make up work when they have excused absences. Teachers will assign zeroes for work assignments or tests missed during an unexcused absence, not as punishment, but as an accurate evaluation of the student's performance on that day. Teachers may assign disciplinary action (e.g., detention) or additional work assignments to students who are tardy. Teachers are not required to assume added duties in order to permit students with elected absences to make up tests or other work. School Counselors Counselors must remain cognizant of their counselees' progress and attendance patterns and become actively involved if problems arise. Counselors are to assist students and their families with recurrent absenteeism. Counselors should allow for each student's particular situation and consider alternatives to address resulting attendance problems. Secondary School Attendance Office Personnel Attendance personnel are responsible for maintaining accurate attendance records from the information provided by the teachers. Attendance personnel are responsible for preparing the attendance reports consistent with state requirements as directed by the school administrators.

Approved – August 23, 2013

Effective – August 23, 2013

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ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy Implementation Procedures 25-1.1 Attendance Attendance personnel are to call all parents/guardians when their children are absent from school or class. Attendance personnel are to notify parents/guardians in writing, when telephone contact is continually unsuccessful. When students leave school due to a move or transfer to another school division, are required to leave because they are not residents of Arlington, or fail to return to school in September despite having completed the previous year, the following steps should be taken and documented:   

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Parents should be asked the name and address of the school which the student will be attending, if parents know this information. For students who withdraw, the registrar should update the student’s information in the student information system. If the school has not received a request for records from another school or school division within 10 business days, the registrar should call the school and/or the student’s last known address to follow-up. If the student cannot be located with these calls, the case should be directed to the Attendance Specialist or School Social Worker for follow-up. This follow-up might include a home visit to the last known address, a call to the student’s emergency contact, or a call to the central office of the school division in the location where the family intended to move. If school staff members are unable to locate students, documentation of the staff’s efforts to reach the family should be placed in the student’s file and updated in the student information system.

Local School Administrators Local school administrators are to be fully familiar with state/county attendance policies and are to develop implementation procedures appropriate for their schools. Local school administrators are to communicate policies and procedures to all staff members within their schools. Middle school and high school administrators are to provide parents/guardians, via the opening of school packet, a copy of Arlington's attendance policy, and pertinent sections of the state code each school year. Elementary school administrators are to provide parents/guardians this information prior to the fall parent/teacher conferences or along with notification of the conference appointment. Communication At the beginning of each school year, students will receive the Student Handbook that contains information related to Arlington Public Schools’ Attendance Policy. At the elementary level, the school should investigate the reason for each student’s absence after two consecutive days have passed. Parents/guardians are expected to notify the school if their children are staying home from school on the same day. School personnel shall contact the parent/guardian to apprise them of their child’s absence.



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ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy Implementation Procedures 25-1.1 Attendance Absences The following will be considered excused absences · Illness, quarantine of student, doctor or dentist appointment · Death in the family · Observance of a religious holiday · Summons to a court of law · Violent storms or state emergencies · Suspensions · Severe family emergency · All others approved in advance by principal (or designee) All other absences are unexcused absences, including absences for valid reasons when the verified contact documentation or written note from the parent/guardian is not filed within two days following the student’s return to school. Management of Absence Excuses Students must present, a written explanation or there must be a verified contact from a parent/guardian, for each absence upon returning to school (not later than two days following the student’s return). If the reason given is not valid, or if school personnel have reason to suspect that the note or contact information is not authentic, the principal will contact the parent/guardian. Absence notes or contact documentation will be filed in the office. Each school will establish a procedure for verification of the parent's signature. Teachers will be notified and record the attendance information in their class records. Students 18 years of age or over may assume the responsibility for their own excuses. Tardiness Because punctuality and dependability are qualities the schools have a responsibility to develop in students, and out of consideration for the rights of others, tardiness to class is not to be condoned. At the elementary level, teachers will enter student attendance data at the beginning of each school day. Students who arrive after school has begun for the day should report to the office. Student shall be marked tardy by the designated office personnel. Excessive tardiness shall be reported to the school administrator. At the middle and high school levels teachers will record student attendance at the beginning of each instructional period. Students who arrive after attendance has been taken should be counted as tardy. Students who arrive with a written note from an administrator or teacher shall be given an excused tardy. Regarding senior high school students, if a student arrives to class after the bell has rung without a note of explanation from a teacher or administrator, the student is tardy.



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ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy Implementation Procedures 25-1.1 Attendance Make-up Work Make-up work cannot substitute for missed classroom experiences. However, students have the responsibility to compensate for missed classwork. In the case of an elected absence, the sole obligation for such compensation is the student's. Credit for make-up work is only given when the absence is excused. However, even without credit, the student is still responsible for making up work in order to continue to participate in the course. PENALTIES FOR EXCESSIVE UNEXCUSED ABSENCES At all levels, students forfeit daily class grades for all unexcused absences. Elementary Level At the elementary level, any sign of an emerging pattern of unexcused absences must be dealt with swiftly. The parent/guardian shall be advised after the first unexcused absence. After the second unexcused absence, a letter from the principal explaining the attendance policy shall be sent to the parent (APS Attendance Policy Letter). In the event of a third unexcused absence, the principal (or designee) shall mail the APS 3-day Unexcused Absence letter. In the event of a fifth absence, the principal (or designee) shall contact the parent (phone or in person) to determine whether there is a need for other school or community resources to address needs related to nonattendance, and to create an attendance improvement plan. As a follow-up, the APS 5-day Attendance Plan Follow-up letter shall be mailed. If there is a sixth unexcused absence the principal (or designee), shall schedule within ten (10) days, and hold within fifteen (15) days, a face-to-face conference with the parent to review the attendance improvement plan. The APS 6day Unexcused Absence meeting letter shall be mailed. A counselor, social worker or other appropriate staff shall participate. Educational and legal consequences for nonattendance should be reviewed with the parent. If there is a seventh unexcused absence, the principal (or designee) shall consider legal action on behalf of the student. Secondary School Level At the middle and high school level, where academic credit is given, excessive absences may impact successful course completion. At the secondary level, parents/guardians will be called and advised after each unexcused absence. Additionally, a copy of the APS Attendance Policy letter should be mailed home. After the third unexcused absence a letter stating the attendance policy and the educational and legal consequences for failure to attend school shall be mailed to the parents. If there is a fifth unexcused absence, the counselor, school social worker, or attendance specialist shall contact the parent (phone or in person) to assess reasons for the absences and to develop an attendance improvement plan. The plan shall include a statement that indicates that parents and students are aware of the legal and educational consequences of nonattendance. As a follow-up, the APS 5-day Attendance Plan Follow-up letter shall be mailed. If there is a sixth unexcused absence, the principal (or designee) shall, schedule within 10 days, and hold within fifteen days, a face-to-face conference with the parent (and student) to review the attendance improvement plan. This may include an interagency meeting if it can be held within



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ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy Implementation Procedures 25-1.1 Attendance the 15-day time period. The APS 6-day Unexcused Absence or the APS Interagency meeting letter shall be used depending on the course of action and the timeline. A counselor, school social worker, attendance specialist or other appropriate staff shall participate. Educational and legal consequences for nonattendance shall be reviewed with the parent. If there is a seventh unexcused absence, the principal (or designee) shall consider legal action on behalf of the student. Curricular Options When a student and parent/guardian believe attendance in a class is not beneficial to the student's best educational interest, within the first three weeks of a course, a conference shall be scheduled to consider placement in a more appropriate course, with the approval of the teacher and counselor. Students with severe and persistent attendance problems will be assisted by teachers, counselors, administrators, psychologists, attendance specialists, and visiting teachers/school social workers in searching for alternative measures to address the problem. Such alternatives include:  

Admittance to other programs, such as those offered by High School Continuation and Adult Education. Development of, within the provisions permitted by the Code of Virginia, individualized furlough procedures which would permit students who have not met the compulsory school age with a dignified exodus from school and uncomplicated reentry. Such furlough must be jointly conceived and approved by parents/guardians, students, and principal, and recommended for approval by the Superintendent to the School Board. Definite plans for student activity (e.g., work experience) must be included in the furlough plan as well as periodic reporting of the student's activities at least monthly. Reentry to school must be encouraged and every effort made to readmit the student no later than the opening of school for the following year, or provide for alternative education (e.g., adult education). The furlough may be extended with the same provisions as above if mutually agreed upon.

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Referral to Juvenile Court when all other alternatives have failed.

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Withdrawal

In accordance with state regulations, a student must be formally withdrawn from school after fifteen (15) consecutive days of absence. The notification letter to the parents/guardian shall indicate that this is action required by state law and should make clear that the student is expected to return to school. The letter should strongly encourage the student's immediate reentry into school, especially if the student is less than eighteen years of age. A readmission conference shall also be scheduled. Parents/guardians should be present at the readmission conference. The readmission conference for an identified student with a disability who has been withdrawn for non-attendance may require a review of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) according to the circumstances of the individual case.



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ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy Implementation Procedures 25-1.1 Attendance

Absences and Schedule Variations for Medical Reasons Excessive absence may be defined as more than five (5) days consecutively or accumulated absences of more than twenty (20) days for elementary students or ten (10) days for secondary students. A principal may require a written excuse from a physician for each period of absence in excess of five (5) school days. If a pattern of frequent absences of one or two days each has developed, the principal may ask the school nurse to contact the parents to determine if there are health factors involved. If the absences are based on health, the principal may request the school nurse to assist the family to obtain the necessary medical evaluation by referral to private physician, clinic or medical services through the schools or the Department of Human Services. If it is clear that the absences are not related to health reasons, the principal will work toward a solution through appropriate staff members, such as visiting teachers/school social workers, counselors, or attendance specialists. A written medical recommendation is to be provided from a practicing physician for changes in schedule, limited hours of attendance, and related matters, when the reason for change or alteration is based upon physical health. When the request is based on emotional reasons, the written recommendation should be submitted by a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, or licensed mental health provider. If a student is admitted to an inpatient facility, and the facility provides educational programming, the student should be withdrawn from Arlington Public Schools. If the student is in a day treatment facility, a referral for homebound services to address the student’s education may be considered. Reports of Students not Attending School When a school receives a report from the community regarding a student not attending school, the school should ask if the reporter is willing to give their name and contact information. The name and address of the student that is reportedly not attending school should be noted. If the student resides in the school’s attendance area, the case and any information should be forwarded to the school social worker or attendance specialist. If it is unclear what the attendance area is, the case should be forwarded to the Office of Pupil Services. Exceptions Any request for exceptions to implementing the aforementioned procedures should be directed to the Assistant Superintendent, Student Services for review and assistance.



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