Attendance Policy

Absence/Tardy notes should include:

• Student's name
• Date(s) of absence or tardiness
• Reason for absence or tardiness
• Signature of parent/guardian

Students will be afforded three (3) calendar days from the day they return to turn in an excuse. If a written excuse is not received within three (3) calendar days, the school will deem the absence as unlawful. State auditors require these notes to be on file for cross-reference with recorded absences.

A medical excuse signed by a physician may be requested in cases of excessive or extended absences.

Students absent a half day or more on the day of a school event may not participate in that athletic or extracurricular event.

Parents DO NOT need to call the Attendance Office if their child is sick. Parents and/or students should refer to Schoology to check assignments when absent from school. If your child will be out for an extended period of time due to illness, you should contact the school nurse.

Family trips and vacations are recognized as excused absences provided a completed Pre-approved Absence Form is submitted to the Attendance Office five (5) days prior to the trip.

Only FIVE (5) days of absence may be pre-approved per student per year. An educational objective should be the basis for such an absence.Family Trips and vacations are strongly discouraged during standardized testing dates and will not be approval by the assistant principal.

Pre-Approved Absence Forms are available online or in the attendance office.

Any reason not outlined above under Excused Absences is considered UNLAWFUL.

TARDINESS

Students arriving to homeroom at 8:01 a.m. and after are considered tardy to school. Understanding that emergencies occur, three (3) unexcused tardies are permitted per semester before penalty is enforced. For EACH additional unexcused tardy, a detention is assigned. Failure to serve detention may result in further disciplinary action. The same reasons listed above for excused/unexcused absences apply to tardiness.

Early dismissal will be granted for the same reason as a valid excuse for absence or tardiness. Parents/guardians are encouraged to schedule appointments before or after school hours. If the appointment cannot be made at those times, it should be made as early or as late in the school day as possible.

When an early dismissal is necessary, parent should email JMSAttendance@mtlsd.net with the following information:

• Student’s first and last name
• Date and time of early dismissal
• Reason for the early dismissal
• Signature of parent/guardian

If the student is bringing in a handwritten note, they can bring it to their homeroom teacher during the homeroom period to obtain an Early Dismissal Form.

One portion of the duplicate form will be sent to the Attendance Office with the original request. The other portion will be given to the student. At dismissal time, the student will show a copy of the form to the classroom teacher then take it to the Attendance Office before leaving school. The student should obtain a re-admittance Form from the Attendance Office if returning to class the same day.

Parents and guardians may meet their children outside the building or wait for them in the attendance office.

Please fill out and return this form to your child's homeroom teacher prior to Take Your Child to Work Day.

Take Your Child to Work Day Form