Attendance Policy

THE ADMINISTRATION ENCOURAGES PARENTS TO CALL THE SCHOOL TO VERIFY THE ABSENCE OF THEIR CHILD. THIS IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PREVENT TRUANCY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PARENT. If no phone call is received, the school will call the home to verify the absence. If there is no answer, the student will be considered truant unless the parent calls the Main Office the following morning to verify the legitimacy of the absence.

Students who are absent from school must submit a note to the Shop Teacher/ Main Office immediately upon their return to school.

1. The note must indicate the date(s) of absence, reason for absence, and must be signed by a parent or guardian.
2. The note does not excuse the absence. The note verifies the absence and permits the student to make up missed work.
3. Students who are absent will not receive graduation course credit as follows:
• Shop Week Absences: Eight (8) total shop days missed (whole days or portions thereof).
• Academic Week Absences: Twenty (20) total course periods missed per course. (NOTE: For classes scheduled as double periods, each period missed is counted as an absence).
• Freshmen, upon their permanent shop placement, will have a maximum of five (5) shop days and twelve (12) related periods missed as a limit before credit is lost.

Excused Absences

1. In the event of a death in the immediate family (parent, sibling, guardian, relative living in the same household), maximum of five (5) school days.
2. In the event of a death of any other relative (grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc…), a maximum of three (3) school days will be excused and not count toward the maximum absence limit. Extension of such excused absence will be at the discretion of the Dean of Students. The observance of religious holy days.
3. The observance of religious holy days.
4. Absence for college visitation will be excused only when a note from a parent/guardian is received by the Main Office one (1) week prior to the absence; and a written verification from the school visited must be provided to the Main Office immediately upon the student's return. [NOTE: College visitations should be scheduled for non-school time.]
5. Absence, dismissal, or tardiness due to school-sponsored activities approved by the Administration will be excused.
6. A note documenting medical, dental or court appointments.
7. All other absences, tardiness, or dismissals will be excused at the discretion of the Dean of Students.

Credit loss/restoration

1. Courses are successfully completed and credit granted when the student: a] earns a passing grade, and b] fulfills the attendance requirement.
2. Credit Loss: In a course where a student fails to receive credit due to failure to fulfill the attendance requirement, the graduation credit requirement will not be considered fulfilled.
3. Credit Restoration: Credit(s) lost may be restored by written agreement with the Dean of Students that the student will successfully complete the same or similar course in the Evening Division, summer school, or by other such school day scheduling as may be possible.
4. A student who has exceeded the absence limit, but has passed the course(s) will receive no credit; however, in the subsequent school year, to restore credit(s), the student will be asked to meet the following four (4) conditions:
• Keep absences below the maximum absence limit:
• Pass all subjects;
• Maintain a good discipline record [no suspensions];
• Be on time to school and classes.

For a student meeting the four conditions, as confirmed by the Dean of Students, credit(s) lost due to excessive absences in the previous year will be restored.

Review process

1. For a student meeting the four conditions, as confirmed by the Dean of Students, credit(s) lost due to excessive absences in the previous year will be restored.
• The Dean of Students must receive the written request within ten (10) school days from the date of notification of loss of credit(s).
• No written request should be made unless there are extenuating circumstances, limited to: a] chronic illness; b] incapacity due to illness or injury; or c] extreme personal reasons or emotional stress.
• The Dean of Students may request third party substantiation of the above circumstances.
2. Reviews will be conducted by a Review Board consisting of: the Dean of Students, Assistant Vocational Director and the professional school counselor. Teachers involved will be advised of the review and may attend at their discretion.
• The Review Board will meet with the student and parents/guardian, review the circumstances, and decide upon maintaining loss of credit(s) or restoring lost credit(s).
• Decision of the Review Board may vary in each case, depending on the circumstances of each case.
• Students may appeal the Board's decision to the Principal.

Other

1. For students who transfer to Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School after the start of the school year, the maximum absence limit will be pro-rated to the remaining days of the school year.
2. For a student who transfers from one course to another, the total accumulation of absences in the former course will be transferred into the new course.
3. Vacation days taken during school time are considered unexcused absences.
4. Suspension from school counts toward the maximum absence limit.
5. Classes missed when a student is in the Nurse's Office will count toward the maximum absence limit unless excused in writing by the Nurse.
6. A student being home-tutored shall be exempt from the Attendance Policy for only the specified duration of approved home tutoring.
7. A student excluded from Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School and participating in an alternative program shall be exempt from the Attendance Policy for only the specified duration of such exclusion, provided that the student meets all conditions specified for the granting of credit(s).
8. Students who are absent more than 20 school days may be referred by the administration to the Special Education Department for an evaluation under Chapter 766.