I.    PURPOSE

The School Board believes that regular attendance is directly related to success in academic work, benefits students socially and provides opportunities for important communications between teachers and students. It establishes regular habits of dependability important to the future of the student.

This policy also recognizes that school attendance is a joint responsibility to be shared with the student, parent(s) or guardian, and supported by the teachers and administration. This policy encourages regular school attendance and punctuality so that learning can take place.

II.    SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

1. Student and Parent Responsibility: It is the student’s and parent’s responsibility to:
    
   1. Ensure student attends all assigned classes and other instructional activities on time each day that school is in session.
   2. Be aware of and follow the correct procedures when student is absent from an assigned class or other instructional activity.
   3. Inform the school of student absences.
   4. Request any missed assignments due to an absence and ensure assigned work is completed.
   5. Work cooperatively with the school and the student to resolve any attendance issues that may arise.
       
2. Teacher's Responsibility: It is the teacher's responsibility to:
    
   1. Take regular attendance and maintain accurate attendance records in each assigned class and other instructional activities.
   2. Be familiar with all procedures governing attendance and apply them uniformly.
   3. Provide a student who has been absent with missed assignments upon request.
   4. Work cooperatively with the student and parent/guardian to resolve any attendance issues that may arise.
   5. Work cooperatively with the student’s parent or guardian when the student’s attendance record impacts academic performance.
       
3. Administrator's Responsibility: It is the administrator's responsibility to:
    
   1. Require students to attend all assigned classes and other instructional activities.
   2. Be familiar with statutes, policies and procedures governing attendance and apply them uniformly.
   3. Ensure that teachers properly account for student attendance in a timely manner.
   4. Maintain accurate student attendance records and prepare a list of the previous day's absences.
   5. Inform the student's parent or guardian of the student's attendance and work cooperatively with them and the student to solve attendance problems.
   6. Work collaboratively with the teaching staff to develop and implement uniform attendance procedures.
   7. Notify parent/guardian and students of any unexcused absences.

III.    ATTENDANCE PROTOCOLS

1. Excused Absences
    
   1. To be considered an excused absence, the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian may be asked to verify, in writing, the reason for the student’s absence from school.
   2. A note from a physician or a licensed mental health professional stating the student cannot attend school may be a valid excuse.
   3. Personal illness, family emergency or death in the family, medical or dental treatment including telehealth appointments.
   4. Prearranged college visits.
   5. Religious instructions not to exceed three hours any week and major religious holidays in accordance with Minn. Stat. 120A.22.
   6. Legal matters including court appearances.
   7. Active duty in the military.
   8. Other activities as approved by the school, including prearranged family vacations.
   9. Suspensions will be considered an excused absence and students will be permitted to make-up work.
       
2. Consequences of Excused Absences
    
   1. Students whose absences are excused are required to make up all assignments missed or to complete alternative assignments as deemed appropriate by the classroom teacher.
   2. Work missed because of absence must be made up within a reasonable amount of time from the date of the student’s return to school.
   3. Any work not completed in the number of days allowed by administration may result in “no credit” for the assignment.
   4. Ten or more excused absences may require additional documentation and/or a conference with parents/guardians to be considered excused.
   5. Absences resulting from official suspension will be handled in accordance with the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, Minnesota Statutes sections 121A.40-121A.56. Days during which a student is suspended from school shall not be counted in a student’s total cumulated unexcused absences.
       
3. Unexcused Absences: The following are examples of absences which will not be excused:
    
   1. Truancy.
   2. An absence by a student which was not approved by the parent and /or school district.
   3. Any absence in which the student failed to comply with any reporting requirements of the school district’s attendance procedures family trips/vacations for which no prior arrangement have been made with the school.
   4. Absences resulting from accumulated unexcused tardies.
   5. At the high school level, ten (10) or more unexcused absences will result in the student being dropped from the course, the parent/guardian will be notified, and the student will receive a loss of credit (withdrawal will appear on the transcript).
       
4. Consequences of Unexcused Absences
    
   1. In cases of recurring unexcused absences, the administration may also request the county attorney to file a petition with the juvenile court, pursuant to Minnesota statutes.
   2. Students with unexcused absences shall be subject to discipline in accordance with district and/or state policies and statutes.
       
5. Tardiness
   
   Students are expected to be in their assigned area at designated times. Failure to do so constitutes tardiness. Students tardy at the start of school must report to the school office for admission to class. Tardiness between periods will be handled by the teacher. Unexcused tardies may result in consequences.

VI.    RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE ACCOMMODATION

Reasonable efforts will be made by the school district to accommodate any student who wishes to be excused from a curricular activity for a religious observance. Requests for accommodations should be directed to the building principal.

VII.    REPORTING RESPONSIBILITY

When a student is initially classified as a continuing truant, Minnesota Statute §260A.03 provides that the school attendance officer or other designated school official shall notify the student's parent or legal guardian, by first class mail or other reasonable means of the following:

1. That the child is truant;
2. That the parent or guardian should notify the school if there is a valid excuse for the child's absences;
3. That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the child at school pursuant to Minnesota Statute §120A.22 and parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be subject to prosecution under Minnesota Statute §120A.34;
4. That this notification serves as the notification required by Minnesota Statute §120A.34;
5. That alternative educational programs and services may be available in the district;
6. That the parent or guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the child's truancy;
7. That if the child continues to be truant, the parent and child may be subject to juvenile court proceedings under Minnesota Chapter 260;
8. That if the child is subject to juvenile court proceedings, the child may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the child's driving privilege pursuant to Minnesota Statute §260C.201; and
9. That it is recommended that the parent or guardian accompany the child to school and attend classes with the child for one day.

VIII.    IMPLEMENTATION AND POLICY REVIEW

The Superintendent or designee is directed to develop the necessary guidelines for the implementation of this policy.