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Highland Academy is bound by state law to maintain regular attendance records that are kept in the Attendance Office. This attendance policy is for the purpose of accountability. Any academic consequences for being absent from a class will be reflected in the academic grade.
LIMIT OF CLASSES MISSED AFFECTING COURSE CREDIT
A student who is absent from any class more than eight (8) times during a SEMESTER will have academic credit for that class put on hold pending a hearing before Ad Council. The hearing will take place at the next Ad Council. All absences will count toward the eight (8)-absence limit per semester except for approved school-sponsored activities. In other words, all absences except approved school-sponsored activities are considered “unexcused” and count towards the 8-absence limit. Approved school-sponsored activities are the only absences that are considered “excused”.
Before returning to class after an absence, a student must bring a written "statement of reason" for the absence, signed by their parent/dean, to the attendance office. A Class Admission Slip will be issued allowing the student to return to class.
Village students will be required to obtain a signed note from their parents for all absences except for those that will be considered “AB’s”. In these situations the dean on duty may sign the note for the village student.
Remember that all absences such as sickness, funerals, weddings etc. (except for approved school-sponsored activities “AA’s”) count toward the eight (8) absences allowed for a whole semester. Be careful how they are used! NOTE THAT DOUBLE PERIOD CLASSES COUNT FOR 2 ABSENCES. Anytime a class is missed, a notice with a copy of the current reason for missing the class and the total number of absences so far for the semester will be sent to the student's parents for their records.
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MAKING UP CLASS WORK DUE TO ABSENCES
No class work can be made up for any absence except approved school-sponsored activities, prearranged leave, sickness, doctor appointments, funerals and discipline issues. Upon returning to school, a student will be allowed one school day to make up class work for each school day missed.
APPROVED SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITIES - “AA”:
A student involved in an approved school-sponsored activity will be allowed to make up all class work only if they make arrangements with their teachers BEFORE leaving. If arrangements are not made before leaving, class work cannot be made up. Approved school-sponsored activities do not count as one of the eight (8) times per semester a student can miss a class before academic credit for that class is put on hold pending a hearing before Ad Council.
PREARRANGED LEAVE - “PA”:
These are absences that have been arranged for ahead of time. These absences will count toward the eight (8) absences allowed per semester for any one class. The prearranged leave process is for the purpose of making up school work only.
The following steps will need to be completed:
- Fill out an Ad Council Request Form completely. (Forms are in the Attendance Office, Business Office, Dean's Offices, or website.)
- Parents must provide a signed request in writing explaining why classes will be missed and the time for leaving and returning to school.
- Teachers, work supervisors and deans must sign the Ad Council Request Form before it goes to Ad Council. Their signatures do not grant approval for the request or allow a student to get assignments.
- Ad Council Request Forms must be turned in to the Principal’s Office.
- All request forms must be approved by Ad Council BEFORE going to a teacher for assignments. Ad Council meets every Tuesday morning at 9:15 a.m. in the Principal's Office.
- Teachers must see the approved Ad Council request before they will give any assignments ahead of time.
ABSENCES AS A RESULT OF DISCIPLINE – “DI”:
When students miss classes as a result of discipline issues, these absences are considered against the eight absences allowed per class per semester; however, the student is usually allowed to make up their work.
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ATTENDANCE AT ASSEMBLY & WEEK OF PRAYER
These are required meetings, and attendance will be taken. More than three (3) unexcused absences (“AB”) or 5 unexcused tardies (“TU”) from Assembly in a semester or more than one (1) unexcused absence from Week of Prayer in a semester will result in the student cleaning the Principal’s bank. In other words, if the student skips 4 Assemblies in a semester and/or 2 Week of Prayer meetings in a semester, they will be required to clean the Principal’s bank. To receive an “excused absence”, students will need to bring a note from their parent or dean (or work supervisor, if work related) documenting that the student was either sick or had to work. Village students are required to attend both Assembly and Week of Prayer meetings the same as the dorm students. Village parents need to make arrangements ahead of time for their student to attend these meetings so that transportation does not pose a problem.
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ATTENDANCE AT OUTREACH/FALL & SPRING PICNICS
These events are counted as school days, and are, therefore, required. If a student is absent from one of these activities, they will be counted absent from each of their classes for that day – which will count against the eight they are allowed per semester. The student will need to bring in a signed written excuse to receive a “Class Admission Slip” before they will be permitted to return to classes the next school day.
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TARDIES
The recordkeeping of tardies is the responsibility of the teacher. When students are tardy, they will not be allowed to make up work that was done before they got to class. This may include a quiz if it has already been started or turning in homework that was due and has been collected. Students may get 4 tardies in a 9-week period. The fifth tardy drops the student’s grade by ten percent.
APPEALS
All appeals will go to Ad Council.
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