How a Hawk SOARS:

Staying Prepared
On Time
Always Engaged in Learning
Respectful and Responsible
Safe

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Attendance Policies and Procedures

Attendance affects school performance and satisfaction.  Unless there is a very good reason to be absent such as illness, a death in the family, emergencies or appointments that cannot be scheduled after school hours, students are expected to be in attendance at school.  It is the law.


If you miss school, return with an excusal note which includes your name, grade, dates of absence and parent/guardian signature.  Take the note to the Counseling Center.  Be sure to check your weekly attendance summary on the Granite School District website (http://www.graniteschools.org/) to make sure the absence has been excused.  You have 10 days to bring an excusal note after which it will remain unexcused.

The three types of school absences are as follows:

  1. Excused Absence – Excused absence include the following: illness, medical emergencies, death of a family member of close friend, or family activity or travel, consistent with district/school policy with a note or phone call from the parent or guardian. A parent may excuse up to 7 full school days a year.
  2. Unexcused Absences – Unexcused absences are absences not authorized by state law or by school or district policy but may occur with parental knowledge or consent.
  3. Truancy Absence – Truancy absences are absences that occur without school or parental approval. A teacher or administration determines the consequences for a truancy absence. (Sluff/cutting class)

Attendance marks:
The following are marks used on the attendance sheet to represent attendance.

(A) unknown absence
(T) tardy
(E) excused by parent
(R) school release (field trips, etc.)
(D) detention
(U) sluff – cutting class
(F) funeral – requires obituary/funeral program
(M) medical (Dr. or Counselor)
(V) vacation – must be cleared by the principal
(O) corrected mark
(S) suspension

Coming to School LATE

If you come to school late during first period, and you have an excuse note, check into the Counseling Center.  (This note excuses you for your absence.) If you do not have a note, you need to check in with your teacher. If you come anytime after first period, you need to check into the Counseling Center for an excuse note or an admit slip to class.

Checking into School

When you miss a day of school, you need to bring a note from your parent or guardian to the Counseling Center or your parent may call the Counseling Center (646-5186). You will receive a blue note when the absence is excused. All of your teachers must sign the blue note and you must keep it until the next report card comes out.


Checking out of School

If you are sick during school, you need to get a note from your teacher to come to the Counseling Center. You may spend one class period in the sickroom or call home. If you are leaving school, a “street pass” is issued. The street pass is the excuse note for the next day for your classes. Your parent or a responsible adult must sign you out in the Counseling Center.

If you are leaving for another reason, (i.e. appointment, etc.), you will need to bring a note from your parent and turn it in to the Counseling Center before school in the morning. You will pick up the “street pass” in the Counseling Center before you leave. Your parent will sign you out in the Counseling Center. The “street pass” will be the excuse note for the following day.


Homework Requests (due to absences)

If you are absent for three or more days, your parents may request homework by calling the Counseling Center (646-5186). This homework must be picked up and returned to the teacher on the first day back to school.

Truancy

Students who are absent without parent permission, or for inappropriate reasons are subject to disciple according to the truancy policy.  Any changes in citizenship grade due to truancy/unexcused absence will require a meeting with an administrator.

Be Cool, Stay in School

A natural consequence for truancy, or having unexcused absences, is the inability of the student to make up missed work and a drop in citizenship grades.  If you sluff a class, you will receive an After-School-Detention (ASD) for every period you sluff.  Frequent or chronic sluffing could get you placed on tracking, assigned to Friday school, referred to Juvenile Court, or placed in an alternative educational setting.