Administrative Procedure 330

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Background

All students enrolled in the School are required to attend the School on a regular basis and to be accountable for the days when they are absent.

Procedures

1. It is the responsibility of the Principal to establish attendance procedures in harmony with the following general procedure provided by the Superintendent.
2. It is compulsory for all students to attend school regularly and punctually and to abide by the School’s attendance policies.
3. While there are legal (excusable) reasons for students to miss school, students are not excused from the work they missed. The following excused absences are listed in the Education Act:
3.1 Illness or other unavoidable cause, as determined by the Principal,
3.2 A religious holiday of the denomination to which the student(s) belongs,
3.3 Days officially suspended,
3.4 Parent(s) have shown to the School sufficient cause as to why the student is not required to attend,
3.5 The Superintendent excuses the student(s) from attending for a specific period of time.
4. The Principal shall be responsible for outlining a method of dealing with excessive or unexcused absences which shall include:
4.1 A method of parental and student communication.
4.2 An indication of what an intolerable number of absences might be.
4.3 A recognition of the right of the Principal to deal with all attendance concerns at the School, or in severe cases:
4.3.1 Declare the student withdrawn, if sixteen (16) years or older, provided written notification is given to the parent(s) outlining the appeal procedure.
4.3.2 Refer the student to the Superintendent for appropriate discipline.
4.3.3 Request the Superintendent invoke the attendance officer powers (Education Act Section 8).
4.3.4 Suspend or refer the student to the Board for expulsion.
4.4 If the Principal develops a School handbook for students, the attendance procedures shall be included.

References: Section 1, 7, 8, 9, 25, 26, 31, 32, 33, 46, 48, 49, 52, 53, 55, 196, 197, 222, 225 Education Act