Regular attendance is your responsibility...

Attendance for Credit/ Academic Probation -  South Sioux City High School

It is the expectation of South Sioux City High School that all students attend all of their classes each and every day. As a result, we have adopted a practice that states the following: “When a student accumulates 10 unexcused absences in a class within a semester, the student will earn Academic Probation and will no longer automatically be eligible for credit in the missed class(es).”

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Regular attendance for each individual class is the responsibility of the student and his/her parent/guardian. There is no adequate substitute for regular attendance, and many classroom experiences cannot be made up. We understand, however, that there are instances in which a student must be absent from school for all or part of the day. Refer to Board Policy 5008. Student attendance will be recorded on a period-by-period basis. 

 

Grounds for an Excused Absence: Students will ordinarily be granted an excused absence from school by the principal or the principal’s designee for the following reasons:

1. Illness
2. Doctor/ Dental/ Mental Health appointments for the student (Doctor’s note required)
3. Funeral of a family member 
4. Legal matters which cannot be arranged outside of school hours
5. College planning visits
6. Vacation (if approved in advance by the principal and/or the principal’s designee) (no more than 4 school days)
7. Suspension
8. School Sponsored Activity or Event
9. Other absences as determined by the principal or the principal’s designee to be suitable grounds for an excused absence

 

All other absences that occur as a result of something not listed above will be deemed unexcused.

 

Loss of Credit due to Excessive Absences

Students are expected to attend each of their classes every time the class meets. When a student has accumulated 10 unexcused absences in a semester for a class, the student will be placed in an academic probationary status and will no longer automatically be eligible for credit. At this time, the student and the student’s parents/ guardian(s) will be notified of the academic probationary status. The student will remain in the academic probationary status through the end of the semester. If the student has completed and turned in the Student Appeal for Credit form, High School Administration will review the student’s case and make a determination on credit. To once again be eligible for credit, the student must meet the following expectations from the date in which s/he was placed in the academic probationary status through the end of the semester:

 

Expectation	Description of Expectation (from the date in which the student was placed on Academic Probation)
Improved Attendance	No more than 2 additional unexcused absences in the class
Punctuality	No more than 4 unexcused tardies for the class from the date of placement into failing status
Improved participation and engagement	Being an active and engaged participant in class
Proficiency in academic content	A passing grade for the class
Student Appeal for Credit Form	To be completed and turned in before the end of the semester

 

If a student fails to meet the expectations listed above, then the student will not be eligible to receive credit for that class in that semester.

 

If a student has an IEP or 504 Plan, then the student’s IEP or 504 will preempt this Policy.