Attendance Policies of Eisenhower Middle School for 2007 to 2008
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Federal Law No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires schools to maintain an average yearly attendance rate of 90%. The laws of the State of New Jersey require regular attendance of all pupils enrolled in the public school system. Poor attendance limits accomplishments and reinforces a habit that will impact negatively on the students’ achievement levels as well as the students’ future. Frequent absences from regular classroom learning experiences disrupt the continuity of the instructional process.
An excused absence is delineated by a serious illness as verified by a physician’s note. Death in the family and religious holidays, as outlined by the State Department of Education, must be verified by a note from home.
Unexcused absences include:
Family vacations: the Board of Education and the Administration strongly discourage students absence from school for family vacations.
If students must be out for family reasons, please send a note at least one week prior to the absence in order for teachers to collect work for the student during this absence.
Students are responsible for picking up these assignments prior to leaving. All work is due upon returning to school.
After 4 unexcused absences, the student’s parent(s) will be contacted and a warning will be issued.
After 5 unexcused absences, the student will be issued a morning detention.
If absences continue, notification as per NJ Statute 18A: 38-29 may be issued to the parent(s). If no improvement is then shown, legal proceeding may result as per 18A 38-31.
Homework: parents should call the Guidance Office prior to 10:00 am to get homework for the day of their absence. The number for the Guidance Office is 973 – 584 – 2973 (ext. 1215). Homework can then be picked up in the Guidance Office after 2:20 pm.
Homebound Instruction: Students who are absent for ten or more consecutive days, as verified by a physician, are eligible for Homebound Instruction. Parents should notify the student’s Guidance Counselor and also Special Services at (973) 584 – 4232 to arrange for an instructor.
Habitual Tardiness to School: Students will be considered tardy if they report to school after the “late bell: at 8:09 am. Anyone coming in to school late after that time must report to the guidance office with their parent(s)/guardian(s) to sign in.. Students who are tardy to school three times without an excused reason as listed will be assigned a morning detention. If a student is tardy eight times, that student will be assigned a Saturday Detention. After ten tardies, students will be assigned an In-School Suspension.
Walkers/Bikers: Students who walk to school should plan on arriving at school no earlier that 15 minutes prior to homeroom. Students who bike to school must take them directly to the bike rack and lock them. Bikes should not be ridden anywhere on the property.
Anticipated or Prearranged Absences and Early Dismissals: Parents should notify the Guidance Secretary for any anticipated absence from school, whether excused or unexcused. Please note – family vacations or trips should coincide with holiday periods scheduled on the district calendar. Taking students out for vacation during regularly scheduled school time creates excessive stress for students, as they must make up the work upon their return, while learning new work. It is also unreasonable to expect that teachers can devote substantial time to one student after school to make up thirty hours of missed instructional time per week of school missed. Early dismissal requests must be in writing from a parent/guardian and presented to the middle school guidance secretary before homeroom. The student will be given a pass that should be shown to the classroom teacher prior to leaving class for dismissal. The names of these students will also appear on the absentee list with the time of dismissal. The parent/guardian must come into the office and sign the student out before any student will be dismissed.
Student Movement During School: No student may pass in the hallways without a pass signed by a teacher/secretary/administrator. Student hallway passes are in the back of this agenda planner. You have been allotted a set amount of passes for use throughout the year. Once they are used up, you may not leave the room, so use your passes wisely. In addition, if you loose this planner, you will not have the ability to have a pass; hence, you may not leave the room. So…hold on to your agenda planner.