Student Attendance

Late

• Student is not in the classroom before the bell to start the period rings. (note a start time for period 1 next year of 8:45am)
• Up to the first 30 min of the period missed

Examples of Excused Lates

• Lates approved by parents/guardians/adult student where the responsibility for the late lies on the parent.
• Lates approved by a staff member within the school

Examples of Unexcused Lates (not a full list)

• Any late that is unexplained
• Sleeping in
• Missing the bus
• Leaving the school during breaks or lunch to get food/drinks or run errands
• Repetitive lates for things of which an alternate plan could be put in place to be on time (ie friend drives student to school – could ride the bus)

Truant

• more than 30 min of class missed

Examples of Excused Absences

• Absences approved by parents/guardians/adult student (examples otherwise listed below)
• School events, activities or trips approved by staff

Examples of Unexcused Absences (not a full list)

• Any absence that is unexplained
• Watching school events without permission of staff
• Working on other classes during another class time
• Absence from school assemblies and other school activities (please talk to teacher or admin if there are extenuating reasons to not attend)
• Absence from school trips (please talk to teacher or admin if there are extenuating reasons to not attend)

When Students are Late:

• Students who are not in class by the bell will be redirected to the office or should report to the office directly. The attendance secretary will determine the reason for the late and will direct the student accordingly.

Unexcused Late Consequence:

1st Late = Warning

• Student is reminded of this policy and will receive a one-time admit to class without consequence
• School will communicate with the parent/guardian, that the student was late, via School Connect program

Subsequent Lates

• Student is assigned to half a period of study hall the next lunch period
• School will communicate with the parent/guardian, that the student was late
• Administration will monitor for students of concern with respect to lateness
  • Administration will discuss with the teacher, student, and parent(s):
    • How things are going in the class academically and socially
    • If the student wants to remain in the course
    • Next steps/strategies for success
      • It is likely at this point that the student will no longer be admitted to class if late, but rather they will be redirected to a workspace for the period due to the continuous disruption to class.
        • If tests, quizzes or other assessments are during that period, an “Incomplete” is assigned. Students will be reassured that if they start meeting their responsibilities as a student they will have the chance to do the assessment at a later date
    • Further admin/parent/teacher involvement will occur should the student continue to be late
• Once a student has accumulated more than one half assignment to study hall, students will be expected to attend full lunch time study hall each day until completed (each full study hall counting as 2 halves)

 As total unexplained lates become a larger concern in a specific class:

• Admin will discuss with the teacher, student, and parent(s):
• How things are going in the class academically and socially
• If the student wants to remain in the course
• Next steps/strategies for success

It is likely at this point that the student will no longer be admitted to class if late, but rather they will be redirected to a workspace for the
period due to the continuous disruption to class.

If test, quizzes or other assessments are during that period, an “Incomplete” is assigned. Students will be reassured that if they start meeting their responsibilities as a student they will have the chance to do the assessment at a later date

• Further admin/parent/teacher involvement will occur should the student continue to be late
• Once a student has accumulated more than one half assignment to study hall, students will be expected to attend full lunch time study hall each day until completed (each full study hall counting as 2 halves)

 

When students are absent

• Wherever possible, the parent/guardian/adult student will notify the office ahead of time via School Connect or by calling the school. The student will speak with the teacher ahead of time about work/assessments that will be occurring that day.
• If the above has not occurred, the parent/guardian/adult student will notify the office of the reason for the absence before the next school day via School Connect or by calling the school. The student will speak with the teacher the first day back at school about any assessments or work from that day.

 

Unexcused Absence (Truant) Consequence:

1st Unexcused Absence = Warning

• Student is reminded of this policy and will receive a one-time warning
• School will communicate with the parent/guardian, that the student was truant, via School Connect program

 

Subsequent Unexplained Absences (Truancies)

• A student considered truant will be assigned a full study hall for each period truant, and will be expected to attend this (these) study hall(s) starting the next lunch, and each day after, for the entire lunch period until completed.
  • Students will bring their lunch to study hall (snack program food will be available for students who attend study hall the same day as the study hall was assigned and do not have food with them)
  • Students who do not attend study hall will be assigned a full day supervised in-school suspension the following day
    • Students will be given a contract with expectations for the day which will include:
      • Space for student’s signature that they are aware of expectations for the day
      • Room # / Class to attend as in school suspensions will be served in other classrooms as assigned by the office
      • Space for supervising teachers’ initial indicating the student met the expectations while with them
      • Expectations include
        • Take break at normal break times and return on time to next assigned class
        • Report to Learning Commons study hall room, on time, for supervised lunch
        • No phones visible
        • Can work if they choose, on iPad or read, etc.
          • No communication with peers on devices
        • If are disruptive, will be escorted to office
        • Bathroom breaks will be escorted
    • If expectations are not met for the in-school suspension, the student will be expected to serve the in-school suspension again the following day
      • If expectations are not met again the second day, an out of school suspension will be assigned
    • If tests, quizzes, or other assessments are during the missed period, an “Incomplete” is assigned
      • Students are reassured that if they start meeting their responsibilities as a student they will have the chance to the assessment at a later date
    • School will communicate with the parent/guardian that the student was truant
    • If truancies persist, admin will meet with the student and/or parent(s) to discuss
      • How things are going in the class academically and socially
      • If they want to remain in the course
      • Next steps/strategies for success
      • Further admin/parent/teacher involvement will occur should the student continue to be truant, as well as possible involvement of the attendance officer

 

Expectations include:

• Take break at normal break times and return on time to next assigned class
• Report to Learning Commons study hall room, on time, for supervised lunch
• No phones visible
• Can work if they choose, on ipad or read etc
• No communication with peers on devices
• If are disruptive, will be escorted to office
• Bathroom breaks will be escorted

• If expectations are not met for the in-school suspension, the student will be expected to serve the in-school suspension again the following day.
• If expectations are not met again the second day, an out of school suspension will be assigned
• If test, quizzes or other assessments are during the missed period, an “Incomplete” is assigned
• Students are reassured that if they start meeting their responsibilities as a student they will have the chance to do the assessment at a later date
• School will communicate with the parent/guardian, that the student was truant, via School Connect program

 

If truancies persist, admin will meet with the student and/or parent(s) to discuss:

• How things are going in the class academically and socially
• If they want to remain in the course
• Next steps/strategies for success
• Further admin/parent/teacher involvement will occur should the student continue to be truant, as well as possible involvement of the attendance officer

 

School Assemblies and School Events:

GDCI Student Council works very hard to provide fun and meaningful activities throughout the year for our students. Over the past years, many of these events have been cancelled or unsuccessful due to poor attendance. As a result, for these events, the following will apply:

• Students who have valid reasons for missing the assembly or event will be supervised in an identified alternate location
• Students on spare are encouraged to attend. If they choose not to attend, they are expected to go to the Learning Commons or to the designated alternate supervised location prior to the event starting.
• All other students will go to school events/assemblies with their class and have attendance taken when they get there, by their teacher, as well as when they return to class before the period is over
• Students not attending the event or the supervised alternate location (or Learning Commons if on spare) will be assigned a truant on their attendance and will be followed up as per above
• No students will be permitted in halls during the events