Lower Dauphin Attendance
Absences:
The School Board considers the following conditions to constitute reasonable cause for absences from school: illness, quarantine, recovery from an accident, required court attendance, death in the family, family emergencies, observance of a religious holiday from a bona fide religious group, approved family educational trips, approved educational tours and college visits. (policy 204)
If a student is absent due to illness, his/her parents or guardian should contact their student's attendance office on the morning of the absence.
The student shall present a note signed by his/her parent or guardian to the attendance office within five school days of the absent date. Failure to do so will result in the absence being recorded as unexcused or truant. Notes must be signed by a parent or guardian regardless of the student's age. Students who are absent from school are not permitted to attend any school-sponsored events the day of the absence(s).
Absences longer than five consecutive days require a Doctor's Excuse for readmittance to school. A Doctor's Excuse means that the physician must certify that the student was under his/her care for the period of the absence.
Excused:
The school will authorize absence due to illness, injury, or family emergency that cannot be prearranged or foreseen prior to the day of the absence. Students will be permitted to make up work missed during the day of an authorized absence. No student shall have his/her grade lowered due to an absence, which has been excused. For unforeseen absences, students shall have as many days to make up work as they were absent.
Unexcused:
Absences not approved by the school for students not subject to the compulsory education laws will be deemed unexcused.
Truant:
Absences not approved by the school for students subject to the compulsory education laws will be deemed truant. Students who are truant are subject to the discipline code, including but not limited to a school attendance improvement conference, referral to county children and youth services and/or a citation for truancy.
Chronic Absenteeism:
Parents of students who are excessively absent during the year will be notified by letter that the school is concerned at the number of absences. If attendance does not improve after notification, the student may be placed on Doctor's Excuse, which means that every absence thereafter requires a doctor's verification of illness. Failure to provide the required Doctor's Excuse will result in the absence being recorded as unexcused or truant, as appropriate. A Doctor's Excuse means that a physician must certify that the student was under his/her care for the period of the absence and must include all dates for which the student is to be excused. A physician includes the following medical professionals who are able to prescribe medicine:
- medical doctor
- physician's assistant
- nurse practitioner
- dentist
- ophthalmolgist
- psychiatrist
When a student accumulates one unlawfu/truant absence, parents will be sent what is termed a "First Absence Notice." After three unlawful/truant absences, parents will be sent what is termed a "Official Notice of Truancy". Six or more unlawful/truant absences will result in a third notification termed "Attendance Improvement Conference Invite" and the scheduling of a school attendance improvement conference. Subsequent unlawful/truant absences will result in a referral to Dauphin County Children & Youth for those students 14 and younger and/or a citation submitted for a hearing before a District Justice. (policy 204)