Attendance

COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE

All students enrolled in the Christian County Public Schools district, between the ages of six (6) and eighteen (18) shall be in regular attendance, in the schools to which they are assigned, and shall be subject to the Kentucky Compulsory Attendance Laws.

Seven (7) Valid Reasons for Excused Absences

The Kentucky Compulsory Attendance Laws, KRS 159.010 and KRS 159.180, states the parent/guardian is responsible for keeping his/her child in regular school attendance. The Christian County Board of Education has approved the following seven (7) valid reasons Christian County Public Schools will approve for excused absences:

1. Illness of pupil

2. Death in the family

3. Appointment with a health professional (for student only) for up to ten (10) regular medical excused absences or after five (5) medical excused tardies. Per board procedure 09.123 AP.2 the Medical Excuse Form is required after ten (10) regular medical excuses. These absences will be unexcused without the Medical Excuse Form.

4. Driver’s test (A statement from the driver's test administrator must be presented for the student to be excused for a reasonable amount of time.)

5. Court order (A statement from the court system must be presented for the student to be excused for a reasonable amount of time.)

6. One (1) day for the attendance of the Kentucky State Fair

7. Other valid reasons as determined by the principal

Absences Grades K-12

Notes from parents/guardians shall be accepted, and absences shall be excused for up to six (6) days only for the seven (7) valid reasons listed above. Illness accompanied by a health professional’s statement will not be counted as one of the six (6) days.

Procedures for Student Absences

1. A student who is absent must bring a note signed by his/her parent/guardian, adult student, or a health professional stating the reason for the absence.

2. A student who is absent must provide a note within a time period not to exceed five (5) days from the date the student returns to school or the absence will be unexcused. The parent/guardian is responsible to ensure that the note is turned in to the school attendance office. If the note is sent by the parent/guardian (adult student) through the student, the parent/guardian (adult student) is encouraged to follow-up with the attendance clerk to verify receipt.

3. A health professional’s statement will be accepted for the student’s personal illness only or for a severe illness in the home.

4. Students on school-sponsored trips are counted present and are responsible for make-up work.

5. Court appearances are excused if signed by the judge or the clerk of the court for a reasonable amount of time.

6. Requests for an excused absence other than those stated in this provision of the Code of Acceptable Behavior must be made in advance to the principal.

7. When the school notifies a parent/guardian a student is sick and should be picked up, absence for the remainder of that day shall be excused without the necessity of a parent/medical note. In the event there are subsequent absences a parent/medical note will be required for those absences to be excused. The school nurse and the attendance clerk shall communicate regarding these absent events.

8. Contact the school to request make-up work for your student.

Student Consequences when accumulating 15 or more Unexcused Absences

1. Students who have fifteen (15) or more unexcused days and/or unexcused tardies will not be allowed to participate in baccalaureate commencement (graduation) exercises.

2. Students who have fifteen (15) or more unexcused days and/or unexcused tardies will not be able to attend prom as a junior or senior or attend as a guest as a freshman or sophomore.

3. Students who have fifteen (15) or more unexcused days and/or unexcused tardies will not be able to attend project graduation as a graduate or as the guest of a graduate.

4. The above mentioned stipulations in items 1-3 are in addition to consequences for violating the Kentucky Compulsory Attendance Laws, KRS 150.010 and KRS 159.180, and other consequences under the Code of Acceptable Behavior.

NOTE: In reference to unexcused tardies mentioned in items 1-3 above three (3) unexcused tardies are equal to one (1) unexcused absence. Unexcused tardies would be defined as checking in late to school without turning in a parent/guardian note or medical excuse, and checking out of school early without turning in a parent/guardian note or medical excuse when the student returns to school. A tardy event is an absence of sixty (60) minutes or less of the school day.

Step One

Procedures when students accumulate ten (10) or more unexcused absences:

● Student conference regarding ten (10) or more unexcused absences regarding end of the year activities and document in truancy tab.

● The parents/guardians of a students who accumulates ten (10) or more unexcused absences will receive a written notification.

● The parents/guardians of a student who accumulates ten (10) or more unexcused absences will be contacted by a school administrator prior to or as follow-up to the initial written notification.

● The 10 day written and verbal contact will be documented in the truancy tab. The purpose of the ten (10) day warning notification is to provide a courtesy warning to freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors they will not be allowed to participate in baccalaureate commencement (graduation) exercises, project graduation or attend prom at any grade level, including juniors and seniors, or participate in any of these events as a freshmen or sophomore.

NOTE: Adult students 18 years or older will receive these notifications.

Step Two

Procedures when students accumulate fifteen (15) or more unexcused absences:

● Student conference regarding fifteen (15) or more unexcused absences regarding end of the year activities and document in truancy tab.

● The parents/guardians of a student who accumulates fifteen (15) or more unexcused absences will receive a written notification.

● The parents/guardians of a student who accumulates ten (15) or more unexcused absences will be contacted by a school administrator prior to or as follow-up to the initial written notification. 9 Back to the Table of Contents

● The fifteen (15) day written and verbal contact will be documented in the truancy tab.

● Parents/Guardians/Adult Students are provided an appeal form to complete within five (5) school days of notification and turned in to the Director of Pupil Personnel.

The purpose of the fifteen (15) day warning notification is to provide notification to freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors they will not be allowed to participate in baccalaureate commencement (graduation) exercises, project graduation or attend prom at any grade level, including juniors and seniors, or participate in any of these events as a freshman or sophomore.

NOTE: Adult students 18 years or older will receive these notifications.

Step Three

Parents/Guardians/Adult Students will complete the 15 or more unexcused absences written appeal and submit to the Director of Pupil Personnel at the Christian County Board of Education. The individual responsible to turn in the appeal is the parent/guardian or adult student to the Christian County Board of Education. The school is not responsible nor should they email or send the appeal to the Christian County Board of Education. The District Attendance Advisory Committee will review the appeal and a decision will be rendered via written response within five (5) working days. The decision of the District Attendance Advisory Committee shall be the final decision.

On the date gradation practice starts no additional appeals will be reviewed by the District Attendance Advisory Committee.

Student’s School Campus Driving Privileges

Christian County Public Schools’ students who have a valid driver’s license are afforded the privilege to drive to school in lieu of utilizing bus transportation. The following are guidelines to define maintaining and loss of driving privileges while attending Christian County Public Schools:

1. Students who have five (5) or less unexcused absences and/or unexcused tardies will maintain school campus driving privileges.

2. Students who have six (6) to nine (9) unexcused absences and/or unexcused tardies will be suspended from driving on the school campus for two (2) weeks (ten (10) school days).

3. Students who have ten (10) to fourteen (14) unexcused absences and/or unexcused tardies will be suspended from driving on the school campus for four (4) weeks (twenty (20) school days).

4. Students who have fifteen (15) or more unexcused absences and/or unexcused tardies will be suspended from driving on the school campus for the remainder of the school year (number of school days remaining in school year).

5. The above-mentioned stipulations in items 1-4 are in addition to consequences for violating the Kentucky Compulsory Attendance Laws, KRS 150.010, KRS 159.180, and the No Pass No Drive Law, KRS 159.051, and other consequences under the Code of Acceptable Behavior.

In reference to unexcused tardies mentioned in items 1-4 above three (3) unexcused tardies are equal to one (1) unexcused absence. Unexcused tardies will be defined as checking in late to school without turning in a parent/guardian note or medical excuse, and checking out of school early without turning in a parent/guardian note or medical excuse when the student returns to school. A tardy event is an absence of sixty (60) minutes or less of the school day. The school administrator/designee will notify the students of the suspended dates of on campus driving privileges. The suspension will begin the next school day after notification. Transportation will be provided for students by Christian County Public Schools with the exception of students who are attending out of their school attendance zone. The transportation of students who are attending out of their school attendance zone based on approved grandfathered-in status or an approved hardship remains the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Students who are attending in their school attendance zone and choose not to utilize transportation provided by Christian County Public Schools the parent/guardian is responsible for their student’s transportation.

A student notified of lost school campus driving privileges in items 2 or 3 and attempts to continue to drive on the school campus does not comply with the notification will lose on school campus driving privileges for the remainder of the school year (number of school days remaining in the school year).

The parent/guardian will be notified by the building administrator to provide an opportunity for the parent/guardian to remove the vehicle from school property to meet notification requirements. After the building administrator collaborates with the parent/guardian, if the student continues to violate the notification on the following school day, the student’s vehicle may be towed at the owner’s expense.

Make-up Work

All work missed shall be made up by the student when he/she is absent from school.

1. Students are responsible for meeting due dates on all long-term projects or assignments unless an exception is approved due to an emergency or extenuating circumstances.

2. Each Site Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council shall adopt a policy to address credit for missed assignments.

Check-In Procedures

1. Students in grade levels K-8 must have an adult sign the Check-In log when tardy to school.

2. Students in grade levels 9-12 may sign the Check-In log when tardy to school.

3. An unexcused check-in or check-out may result in a consequence under the Code of Acceptable Behavior for skipping or other applicable offenses as determined by the building principal.

4. After a student in grade levels 9-12 accumulates three (3) unexcused tardies to school, the school administrator and/or Director of Pupil Personnel has the discretion to require a parent/guardian to sign Check-In Log when tardy to school.

5. Students checking in for any reason other than the seven (7) valid reasons for absence will be unexcused, unless special permission has been granted by the school’s administration

6. A student who checks in must bring a note signed by his/her parent/guardian or a health professional stating the specific reason for the absence(s), for example, a parent/guardian or medical excuse.

Check-Out Procedures

1. Students eighteen (18) years or older may check themselves in or out; however, the absence may be excused or unexcused as determined by the building principal or designee. An unexcused check-in or check-out may result in a consequence under the Code of Acceptable Behavior for skipping or other applicable offenses as determined by the building principal.

2. Students checking out for any reason other than the seven (7) valid reasons for absence will be unexcused, unless special permission has been granted by the school’s administration.

3. A student under the age of eighteen (18) years may only be checked out of school by the parent/guardian and by adults who have been listed on the Emergency Contact and Check-Out Consent Form. Photo ID’s will be required and any other person checking out a student.

4. A student who checks out must bring a note signed by his/her parent/guardian or a health professional stating the reason for the absence(s).

5. When a student is checked-out a parent/guardian or student eighteen (18) years or older must sign the Check-Out Log. 10

College or Career Days

Requests for college or career days must be made ten (10) days in advance to the principal. Students will be counted present for one (1) day and responsible for make-up work.

Medical Records Requirement

If medical records required by Kentucky law are not given to the schools by the mandated dates, the student may not be allowed to attend school until required documents are provided. These absences will be counted as unexcused absences and could eventually lead to truancy being filed against the parent/guardian.

Lice Policy

Christian County has a “no live lice'' policy. If the student has chronic/recurring head lice, any days missed after the first (1st) time the student is sent home will be unexcused. The principal may use discretion when making a decision concerning absences.

Military Leave

1. Armed Force Day (AFD) If a student’s parent, de facto custodian or other person with legal custody or control of the student is a member of the United States Armed Forces, including a member of a state National Guard or a Reserve component called to federal active duty, a public school principal shall give the student an excused absence for one (1) day when the member is deployed and an additional excused absence for one (1) day when the service member returns from deployment.

2. Armed Forces Rest and Relaxation (AFR) A public school principal shall give the student excused absences for up to ten (10) days for visitation when the member is stationed out of the country and is granted rest and recuperation leave. Parent(s)/Guardian shall complete the proper documentation prior to the absence. Documentation shall be on file for students taking an AFD day(s) and AFR day(s). If no documentation exists, students must be marked absent.

3. Block Leave (BL) Christian County Public Schools will grant up to five (5) days of excused absences for the student of a parent/guardian who has a deployment less than twelve (12) months after the deployment ended. The parent/guardian will present the memorandum provided by the Commander at time of approval. Parent(s)/Guardian shall complete the proper documentation prior to the absence. If proper documentation is not presented prior to the absence it will be marked unexcused.

4. Ordinary Leave (E) Christian County Public Schools will grant excused absences for ordinary leave based on the Kentucky Compulsory Attendance Laws, KRS 159.010 and 159.080 which state that the parent/guardian is responsible for keeping his/her child in regular school attendance. These excused absences covered under the six (6) parent notes for the seven (7) valid reasons approved by The Christian County Board of Education. Ordinary leave does not warrant any additional excused absences.

5. Emergency Leave (EL) Emergency Leave will be accompanied with Red Cross Documentation. The parent/guardian may be asked to provide a service program or other relevant documentation to validate the absence. Please provide the documentation upon the first day of the students return after leave.

HB 87 Basic Military Training

Per Section 2 of KRS 159.035 beginning in the 2016-2017 school year students who have signed up for military service will be counted present in school for up to 10 days of basic training.

Educational Enhancement Opportunities (EHO)

Per KRS 159.035 (s), a student may be allowed up to ten (10) days per school year to participate in an educational enhancement opportunity that the principal determines to be of significant educational value. Participation in an educational foreign exchange program or an intensive instructional program in one of the core curriculum subjects of English, science, mathematics, social studies, foreign language or the arts could be considered an educational enhancement opportunity. Days on which students have been approved by the principal to participate in such an opportunity will be included in aggregate daily attendance. During an Attendance Review, Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff will request documentation of the principal approval of EHO days.

House Bill 517 General Assembly Page Program

Per House Bill 517 which amends KRS 159.035 requires that any student enrolled in a public school shall not have his or her perfect attendance record negatively affected by participating in any of the page programs of the General Assembly. There will be no financial implications although the student is not present at school the district will still receive seek funding.