Skip To Main Content

Attendance

Attendance Policy

  • Absences described in the policy are to take care of a personal illness, professional, appointments, and/ or other serious or personal problems.
  • School sponsored or sanctioned activities will not count toward total absences.
  • Principals and their staff will contact parents whenever illegal or suspicious absences occur. The principal may send a referral for investigation and/or home visits to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.
  • The St. Mary Parish School Board Office of Special Education provides homebound instruction to pupils who have health problems requiring them to miss school for at least ten (10) days. (See Homebound Policy.)
  • A student suspended from school for disciplinary reasons will have those days charged against the total number of absences.
  • It is extremely important that students and parents realize and understand that days of absence built into the attendance policy are not to be used as skip days, but rather they should be used only as indicated in this policy.
  • All students enrolled in alternative to regular placement will adhere to the same attendance policy as regular students.
  • A student will not be allowed to leave school early unless a parent or guardian personally signs the student out of the office.  A check out will count as an absence.  In case of extenuating circumstances, parents may appeal to the principal.

 

Attendance Notification

Elementary/Junior High Students:

1st Notice: When a student accumulates three (3) days of unexcused absences, it is required that the parent contact the school administrator for a mandatory conference.

2nd Notice: When a student accumulates five (5) days of unexcused absences, it is required that the parent attend a mandatory conference with the school administrator. Your child may be referred to the District Attorney's Early Intervention/TASC Program, Truancy Court, or Family in Need of Services (FINS) Court. The parent could be fined no more than fifty ($50.00) dollars or perform not less than twenty-five (25) hours of community service.

NOTE: Failure to attend Truancy Court will result in being required to attend an Attendance Hearing with Child Welfare and Attendance officers.

3rd Notice: When a student accumulates eight (8) days of unexcused absences, the student is in danger of failing for the year. The principal shall send a request for assistance notification to the Child Welfare and Attendance Office. Your child will be referred to the District Attorney’s Early Intervention/TASC Program or (FINS) Court.

4th Notice: When a student accumulates ten (10) days of unexcused absences, the next unexcused absence will result in the student failing for the year. It is required that the parents attend a mandatory conference with the school administrator.

 

NOTE: The principal shall send a request for assistance notification to the Child Welfare and Attendance Office. Recommendation will be made for a District Attorney/City Court’s (FINS) or Juvenile Court Referral for any days over ten (10) that are not extenuating circumstances.

 

Tardy Policy: Late to School

 

All Grade Levels Pre-K - 12

All late-arrival students from Pre-K through grade 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Students will be marked “absent" from school until a parent or guardian signs the student "IN" for the day.

 

Late to School 1-4. A school representative shall warn the student and/or parent of the consequences of future late arrivals.

Late to School 5: The student will be referred to Truancy Court or FINS. No SAC-Detention will be assigned to students that arrive at school late.  

Late to School 6-8: The administrator shall warn the parents of the consequences of future late arrivals.

Late to School 9: The parent and student will be referred to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance for additional intervention. At this time, a disposition will be made by the superintendent or his designee for a FINS referral, or additional Truancy Court action against parent and/or student. If a COC hearing is required, the parents, student, principal, and Child Welfare Supervisor shall be present at the hearing.