Attendance Policy

Philosophy:

Regular attendance in class is essential for a student’s success in school and every effort should be made to have a child in school during the school year. No one can ever truly make up or compensate completely for absences from class. When absences must occur it is important that the parents and student attempt to bridge the gap created by the absence. The absence of a child for more than ten days in a given semester will result in further consequences. The Ambrose School has several holidays during the school year as well as a long summer vacation. Please schedule vacation and family trips during these scheduled holidays.

Excused Absences:

1. Excused absences include those caused by illness or injury, doctor, dentist or other professional appointments, and family emergencies such as a death in the family.
2. Excused absences may also include those that are planned, e.g., when a student must accompany the family on out-of-town business or other special family occasions. In such cases prior arrangements should be made with the teacher as soon as you are aware of the need to take your student out of school. Parents are not to use this category very often. Such absences will not be excused repeatedly.
3. The make-up of missed work is the responsibility of the student. The teacher will decide which work must be made up. The time given a student to make up work will be at the discretion of the teacher with a maximum of two days for each day missed. Any assignments or tests not made up within two weeks following an absence will receive an “F”. In every case the make up work should be completed no later than one week following the end of the grading period.

Unexcused Absences:

1. Any absences other than those mentioned above are considered unexcused.
2. Consequences of unexcused absences are as follows:
   1. The student will receive an “F” for all graded assignments and tests administered on days during which the unexcused absence occurred.
   2. If a pattern of unexcused absences emerges the dean will seek the parents’ cooperation in obtaining the student’s regular attendance. If a pattern continues the student’s continued enrollment may be jeopardized.

School Related Absences:

Absences related to sanctioned school events (athletic events, house events, mock trial, and the like) will not be counted against the student. Work missed must still be made up according to the teacher’s discretion, using the aforementioned policy as a guide.

Tardiness:

Being on time helps develop personal discipline, allows preparation for instructional time and demonstrates an interest in the importance of others over self. The children are expected to be present and prepared to begin class when school begins at 7:45 each morning. Students not in the room and ready for class to begin will be considered tardy when the tardy bell rings. A record of tardiness will be maintained. Being tardy five times in a given quarter will result in 1 absence being recorded for the student.

General Consequences:

If a student misses more than 10 days during the semester an in-school suspension will be implemented.  After 12 absences an out-of-school suspension will be implemented. Additional absences may result in expulsion or grade or class retention.

Students who are not in their classroom at the designated start time are considered tardy.  Individual teachers may impose a higher standard such as being seated.

When students are tardy 5 times in a semester it will be seen as one (1) absence.  

Maximum Absences and Tardies

Revised September 2015

This version supersedes any previously published version.