According to Pennsylvania School Law, “compulsory school age refers to the period of a child’s life from the time the child enters school as a beginner which may be no later than at the age of 8 years, until the age of 17 or graduation from a high school, whichever occurs first. A beginner is a child who enters a school district’s lowest elementary school grade that is above kindergarten”.  Regular attendance at school is essential.  The following is the procedure we will follow for student absences.

1. Parents should attempt to call the office between 8:00 and 9:30 to report their child absent from school.

2. A students will have three (3) days in which to submit an excuse.  If no excuse is received by the third day, the absence will be logged as unexcused/unlawful.  Three days of consecutive absence from school will require a doctor’s note in order for the absence to be recognized as excused.

3. Student absences are reviewed routinely.  If at any time, absences have exceeded 10 or more school days parents will be required to submit a doctor’s note for further absences.

4. After three days of unexcused/illegal absences, a notice will be sent to the parents.  Fines could be imposed.

5. 10:45 a.m. is considered the cut off time for half day absences.  For example – students entering after 10:45 would be considered present ½ day.

6. Attendance at school is required for participation in extra curricular activities.        

Tardiness

School begins at 8:30 am with attendance in homeroom.  If a student enters after 8:30, he/she must report directly to the Office.  Students will be marked absent by the homeroom teacher.  Students who arrive at school after 8:30 am but before 10:45 am will be marked with “Tardy” on their official attendance record.

Beginning with the 3rd tardy to school, a letter will be sent home alerting the parents to the level of tardiness. 

Beginning with and including a student’s 6th unexcused tardy, a parent/guardian phone conference will be conducted by the counselor and/or principal.  Parents/Guardians will be required to meet with the counselor and/or principal to develop a plan to eliminate tardiness. 

When habitual tardiness accumulates to equal one school day, the student will be charged with an unexcused/unlawful absence.  With the exception of late bus arrival, illness, or family emergency, lateness to school will be logged as unexcused.  Car problems, oversleeping, etc. are not necessarily acceptable reasons to be late.