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Parent Resources » Absence and Tardy Policy

Absence and Tardy Policy

Student Tardiness

Arriving at School

School begins at 7:55am. Students should arrive no earlier than 7:30am (unless the student has registered and paid for AM care. In which case, the student may arrive as early as 6:30am). Students who are late to school must be signed in by their parents/guardians in the main office or elementary entrance.
Excused tardies are expected to be infrequent and/or non-recurring.
 
Examples of an excused tardy:
  • Illness
  • Family emergency
  • Medical appointment verified with doctor’s note
  • Administrative discretion
 
Unexcused tardiness will result in the following consequences:
  • Because a teacher cannot interrupt instruction of the entire class when a student is tardy, the student will be required to stay after school to get the missed instruction for that day.
  • Every third unexcused tardy will result in Saturday Detention. Should the student fail to attend Saturday Detention, a meeting will be held with the family and Principal.
  • Excessive tardies may result in disciplinary action taken by the school administration, including, but not limited to, lunch detention, Saturday detention or loss of extra-curricular privileges.
  • Students who enter school ANY TIME after 7:55am MUST be signed in by an adult at the FRONT DESK in the main office.
 

In-School Tardiness

Students are considered tardy when they are not in the proper class with all materials necessary for that class period when the bell rings. All tardies will be cumulative for all classes throughout the semester. After 1st period, tardies are a teacher/room discipline issue and will be monitored and managed with the behavior card/Class Dojo.
 

Student Absences

The Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 15-802. School instruction; exceptions; violations; classification; definitions:
Every child between the ages of six and sixteen years shall attend a school...a parent who does not provide instruction in a home school and who fails to enroll or fails to ensure that the child attends a public, private or charter school pursuant to this section is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.
 

Reporting Absences

State law mandates that the school record a reason for each student absence. Parents/Guardians must inform the school office of absences either by phone call or note on the day of absence. All absences not verified by parent/guardian or by administrative authorization will remain unexcused.


Excused Absences

  • Illness of the student
  • Family emergency/death
  • Medical appointment verified by a doctor’s note
  • Family emergency when the family makes prior arrangements
  • Out of school suspensions
  • Verified religious holidays
  • Administrator discretion
     

Extended Absence

If a student will be gone for more than three consecutive school days, the parent/guardian must obtain prior approval from the principal. If it is illness related, the parent/guardian must have a doctor’s note verifying the student was unable to attend school. If a student misses ten (10) or more consecutive days without proper school notification by parent/guardian, the student will automatically be withdrawn per state law.
 
 

Unexcused Absence

State law requires the regular school attendance of a child of school age. Regular school attendance is essential for success in school; therefore, absences shall be excused only for necessary and important reasons. 
 
The absence will be marked unexcused in the following circumstances: 
  1. Parent/guardian has not previously contacted the school to explain the reason for the absence.
  2. If the student returns to school without a note explaining the reason for the absence from the parent/guardian.
  3. If the parent or guardian has failed to provide a doctor’s note upon the request of the school administrator. 
 
Unexcused absences will result in disciplinary action.