Attendance
ATTENDANCE
ALL students are expected to attend school regularly and to be on time each day to benefit from the instructional program and to develop habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility. There is a direct relationship between attendance and academics. Students who have good attendance generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more, and are much more employable after leaving school.
The automated system will make phone calls if your child is marked absent, tardy, or checked in and/or out. If your child is absent from school, please notify the school (337-923-0494) before 8:10 a.m. Parents/students should become familiar with the parish attendance/tardy policy found on the St. Mary Parish School website and listed below. Parents/students should bring a doctor’s excuse (no photocopies or handwritten notes) to the front office upon returning to school.
The policy states that a child can only miss 10 unexcused days of a school year. After 10 days, a child may receive a non-attendance F and may repeat the grade. The St. Mary Parish School Board policy on attendance is as follows:
GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR THE ATTENDANCE POLICY
1. Absences described in the policy are to take care of a. Personal illness b. Professional appointment that could not be scheduled outside of a regular school day c. Other serious or personal problems
2. School sponsored or sanctioned activities will not count toward total absences.
3. Principals and their staff will contact parents whenever illegal or suspicious absences occur. The principal may send a referral for investigation and/or home visits to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.
4. The St. Mary Parish School Board Office of Special Education provides Homebound Instruction to pupils who have health problems requiring them to miss school for at least (10) days. (See Homebound Policy)
5. A student suspended from school for disciplinary reasons will have those days charged against the total number of absences.
6. It is extremely important that students and parents realize and understand that days of absence built into the attendance policy are not to be used as skip days, but rather they should be used only as indicated in this policy.
7. All students enrolled in alternative to regular placement will adhere to the same attendance policy as regular students.
8. A student will not be allowed to leave school early unless a parent or guardian personally signs the student out of the office.
9. A check out will count as an absence. In case of extenuating circumstances parents may appeal to the principal.
10. After 5 absences or after 9 tardies, students will be referred to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Elementary students are required to attend one hundred sixty-seven (167) days per year to receive credit in all full credit courses.
• 1st Notice: When a student accumulates three (3) days of unexcused absences, it is required that the parent contact the school administrator for a mandatory conference.
• 2nd Notice: When a student accumulates five (5) days of unexcused absences, it is required that the parent attend a mandatory conference with the school administrator. Your child will be referred to the District Attorney's Early Intervention/TASC Program or FINS Court. The parent shall be fined no more than fifty ($50.00) dollars or perform not less than twenty-five (25) hours of community service.
• 3rd Notice: When a student accumulates eight (8) days of unexcused absences, the student is in danger of failing for the year. The principal shall send a request for assistance letter to the Child Welfare and Attendance Office. Your child will be referred to the District Attorney’s Early Intervention/TASC Program or FINS Court.
• 4th Notice: When a student accumulates ten (10) days of unexcused absences, the next unexcused absence will result in the student failing for the year. Recommendation will be made for a COURT REFERRAL for any days over ten (10) days that are not extenuating circumstances.
**Additional days absent may result in loss of credit.*