Attendance Policy

Understanding Attendance Expectations: Policies and Guidelines for Parents

Achievement and attendance are highly related. Because of this: Rules and regulations regarding excessive absenteeism and tardiness shall be enforced (exceptions may be made by an appeal to the principal).

Students are expected to be in school, on time, every day. Occasionally, absence or tardiness cannot be avoided. Absences may be “excused” or “unexcused”. An absence may be excused if the student brings a note, in advance or within three (3) days of the child’s return to school signed by his/her parent/guardian stating the reason. Ohio Revised Code lists the following reasons for an excused absence:

Personal Illness. (The principal may require a physician’s certificate if he/she deems it advisable.)
Quarantine of the home. (The absence of a child from school under this condition is limited to the length of quarantine)
Serious illness or death of an immediate relative.
Observance of religious holidays.
Funeral of an immediate family member.
Court subpoena.
Doctor’s note when returning to school.
Emergency or set of circumstances that, in the judgment of the principal, constitutes a good and sufficient cause of absence from school.
Parents/Guardians must notify the school on the day a student is absent unless the principal/designee has been notified in advance of the absence. Lacking parental notification of an absence, the principal/designee will notify the parent of the student’s absence by telephone or written notice on the same day the student is absent.
If a student is dismissed early for a doctor’s appointment or for another valid reason, the student must bring a note signed by his/her parent or guardian. The parent must meet the child in the school office before the child will be excused.
All other absences are “unexcused” as determined by the principal and include but are not limited to truancy, oversleeping, personal appointments (hairdresser, etc.), and unapproved vacations.

Attendance Problem Procedures

Early dismissals during the last 60 minutes of the day are very disruptive and should be avoided.
Chronic tardiness or absence shall be dealt with by utilizing our Absence Intervention Plan.
- a. Once a student is considered ‘habitually truant’, the office staff will make phone contact with the student’s parent(s) or guardian. The purpose of the phone call will be to warn the parent of the repercussions of House Bill 410.
- b. If this does not result in some degree of improvement, the office shall mail a letter to the offending parent(s) or guardian stating the problem and reminding them of their legal responsibility concerning their child’s attendance in school.
- c. If the child is deemed ‘habitually truant’, a meeting with the schools Absence Intervention Team will be set up by the school with required parent attendance. If the meeting is not attended, an Absence Intervention Plan will be put into place for the student without parent input.
- d. If this does not result in some degree of improvement or if the parent fails to follow the plan, Imagine Hill Academy will file a complaint in juvenile court jointly against the child and the parent.

Habitual truancy

will be defined as any child of school age who is absent without a legitimate excuse for 30 or more consecutive hours, 42 or more hours in one month, or 72 hours in one year.

Excessive absence

will be defined as any student absent 38 or more hours in one school month or 65 or more hours in one school year.

Mandatory Withdrawal

Ohio law requires the withdrawal of any student who, without legitimate excuse, fails to participate in 105 consecutive hours of learning opportunities during any academic year.

Truancy

Ohio law permits schools to prohibit the promotion of a student to the next grade level, if the student has been absent without excuse for more than 10% of the required school attendance days of the current school year and has failed two or more subjects. Imagine Hill Academy may retain a student that has been absent without excuse for more than 10 days.