Attendance Office

Absences

ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL : Regular attendance is an important factor in academic success. Students are expected to be in class daily and to be on time.

The following are accept­able reasons for excused absences:

• illness
• medical appointments (with doctor's note)
• funerals
• quarantine

Absences will be classified as "excused" or "unexcused." Teachers will give credit and assist students with make-up work for an excused absence. In the event of an unexcused absence, teachers are NOT given the option of allowing credit for make-up/late work or tests. The deans must review any exceptions to the make-up policy.

If a student is absent from school, it is the responsibility of the student to insure that his/her parent/guardian or an adult named on the student's emergency card call the Attendance Office to verify every absence, full day or partial, EACH day the student is absent. Parents must report absences by tele­phone on the day of the absence. If a phone call is not made on the day of the absence, the absence will be unexcused. Notes from parents/guardians are not accept­able and are not substitutes for the phone call to the Attendance Office. The deans determine the status of the absence (excused, unexcused, or truant). Regardless of the reason, any student arriving on campus after first period MUST report to the Attendance Office to obtain a readmit or a tardy slip before being admitted to any class.

MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS : Every attempt should be made by parents/guardians to schedule medical appointments so as not to interfere with the school day. To be readmitted, the student must present a signed medical slip from the doctor upon arrival at school. A student who returns to school without a doctor’s note will be marked UNEXCUSED. (Make-up work will not be allowed for an unexcused absence.)

EXTRACURRICULAR PARTICIPATION : A student may attend or participate in an extracurricular activity, an athletic practice/event or a retreat only when the student has attended a full (all classes attended) day of school on the same day or the day before if the event falls on a holiday or a weekend. The deans alone can authorize exceptions.

EXTENDED ABSENCES : Parent requests for extended absences (three or more days, nonmedical) are to be directed to the deans who will determine the status of the absence. Upon parental request, homework sheets will be circulated and sent home on day four or more of an absence. (Homework sheets will not be provided for short term or unexcused absences).

COLLEGE VISITATIONS : Every attempt should be made by parents/guardians to schedule college visitations so as not to interfere with the school day. Absence due to a college visit must be cleared by the deans one week before the visit in order to obtain excused status. A total of two college visit days will be allowed prior to May 1st. The student must obtain and complete a college visitation form which can be found in the Guidance Office.

Tardies and Dismissals

TARDIES - FIRST PERIOD : Any student arriving after the start of the school day must report to the Atten­dance Office to obtain a tardy slip before going to class. A student who arrives more than 20 minutes late to school will be considered absent from first period. A violation will be issued if the absence is classified unexcused. The Attendance Office requires parental contact when a student arrives more than 30 minutes late. Excessive tardiness to first period may result in disciplinary action such as a referral or disciplin­ary probation. Unexcused tardies will result in a violation. Transportation problems are not grounds for an excused tardy (including carpool difficulties).

TARDIES - PERIOD 2-7 : For periods two through seven, classroom teachers issue violations for tardiness. Students serve one detention for each tardy. Students who receive three tardies any time during a semester receive a referral.

OFF-CAMPUS PERMITS : Students may not leave the school during school hours without official BMHS authorization, which includes parental consent. (This may not apply to the release of a student to a peace officer.) Parents are asked to refrain from requesting off-campus permits except in cases of emergency. Parents must arrange off-campus permits through the Attendance Office and assume liability for their student. Students are to obtain off-campus permits on their own time. They may NOT call home during school hours to remind their parents to arrange for an off-campus permit. The school reserves the right to refuse off-campus permits when a request seems unwarranted. Request for off-campus permits should be made by telephone the day before the permit is to be issued.

RELEASE OF STUDENTS: Students may not leave the campus for any reason during school hours unless they have their parents’ permission to leave campus during school time. The responsible administrator must be certain that all legal regulations and insurance requirements have been met.