Dewitt High School

                                         Attendance policy procedures

1. Students will be allowed no more than four days of absences per nine weeks of school, of which no more than two days may be unexcused. Students may lose credit in the class or classes where their absence rate is greater than four days per nine weeks. Credit will be lost credit in any class exceeding two unexcused days in a nine-week period.
2. Absences will be determined excused or unexcused only for the purpose of making up work. A student will not be allowed to receive credit for classroom work missed while he/she was unexcused from school.
3. Absence due to disciplinary action and suspension will not count toward the eight or four-day limit, nor will absence due to school related activities.
4. Parent/guardian and students will be notified when a students accumulated absence total is in danger of exceeding the four-day limit.
5. A student who is absent all or part of the school day will not be eligible to participate in any extracurricular activities on that day. Any absence all or part of Friday will make a student ineligible for activities on that Friday or Saturday. Exceptions to this rule, such as scheduled appointments, must be approved by the administration.
6. If a student is to be dismissed prior to the end of the instructional day, the child's parent or guardian must provide written or verbal communication to the office excusing the child from that day's absence and authorizing the student to sign out. The student must sign out at the main office prior to exiting the building. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence.
7. If one parent has been awarded custody of the student by the courts, the parent of custody shall provide the school with a copy of the custody order and inform the school in writing of any limitations in the rights of the non-custodial parent. Absent such notice, the school will presume that the student may be released into the care of either parent.
8. Skipping all or part of a class period, skipping all day, or leaving school without permission may result in additional disciplinary action as determined by the administration (see truancy).
9. Extended illness or other extenuating circumstances may be grounds for waiving the four-day limit on absences or the two-day maximum for unexcused absences. This will be determined by the building principal. Students appealing their absences need documented evidence for every excused they accumulated during that quarter. The loss of credit may stand, loss of credit may be waived, attendance contracts may be instituted or any other process may be implemented as deemed appropriate by the principal.
10. A five day absence per school year for a family is permitted and will not count for their ten-day limit per semester, provided. 

• Vacations are planned in advance. 
• The parent(s) must make a personal appearance to make the request.
• A waiver is signed. 
• The sudent(s) must be accompanied on the vacation by the parent/guardian.     

K.      Students with long term illnesses may be eligible for homebound instruction.

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