Attendance

Melissa Prilla (AM Secretary), Amy Gregg (Midday Secretary) and Elizabeth Yimin (PM Secretary)

Baldwin-Whitehall School District Attendance and Truancy Procedures – Quick Reference

The Baldwin-Whitehall School District believes that student attendance is critical for academic success. With that in mind, the Baldwin-Whitehall Board of School Directors adopted a revised Attendance Policy 204 and Truancy Policy 204.1 that took effect in the 2014-15 school year. While the policies should be read and understood by all parents and students, the following points can be used as a quick reference.

Students will have 3 days to turn in an excuse or the absence will permanently count as unexcused.

Medical excuses submitted to the school will not count toward excused or unexcused absences.

Absences:

• After 5 total absences or 10 total tardies (excused or unexcused) an Attendance Warning Letter will be sent home.
• After 10 total (excused or unexcused) absences a Medical Letter will be sent home requiring a doctor's note for each additional absence.
• After 15 total (excused or unexcused) tardies a Medical Letter will be sent home requiring a doctor’s note for each additional tardy.
• After 3 additional absences or tardies and failure to provide medical excuses, an Unlawful Absence Letter will be sent home requesting a student-parent conference to develop a Truancy Elimination Plan and charges may be filed with the local district justice.

Habitually Truant:

• After 3 unexcused absences, an Unlawful Absence Letter will be sent home notifying the parent/guardian of the unlawful absences.
• After 3 additional unexcused absences, a Second Unlawful Absence Letter will be sent home requesting a student-parent conference to develop a Truancy Elimination Plan.
• If a student continues to be habitually truant, charges may be filed with the local district justice.
• Students will not receive a grade or credit for any work missed for an unexcused/illegal absence.
• Educational trips must be pre-approved two weeks in advance of the trip. A district form must be completed and returned to the building principal for approval 2 weeks in advance of the trip. The days granted shall not exceed 5 for any school year. Educational trips shall not be approved during the first two weeks and the last two weeks of the school year or during PA State Assessment testing windows. All make-up work must be completed and returned within one week after the student's return from the trip.

Early Dismissals

When notifying the school of an early dismissal for your child, please complete one of the following:

• Provide a note and call the BMS main office at 412-885-7505

OR

• Send an email to bms-attendance@bwschools.net

This excuse should include the:

• date
• time of dismissal
• reason for the request
• signature of parent/guardian.

It is school policy that any student being excused early from school must be picked up by a parent/guardian in the school’s main office. Anyone picking up a student for an early dismissal must be listed on his/her emergency card and MUST show picture identification before the student can be released. In order to maintain a productive learning environment for all students, the office will not call the classroom and interrupt instruction to remind an individual student of an early dismissal.

All classrooms are equipped with functioning clocks, and students are expected to report to the BMS Office at the given time of their dismissal. Students issued early dismissals are informed of the no classroom interruption procedures.

If a student is absent the day of a scheduled extra-curricular activity and/or athletic event, he/she is not permitted to participate or attend the activity or event. Students are eligible to participate in these activities if they are present for at least four class periods. Any student who is serving an out-of-school suspension is NOT permitted to attend after school activities or athletic events.

Students arriving after 8:20 a.m. are considered tardy. Any student reporting late to school must have a written note from a parent/guardian or medical professional explaining the reason for his/her tardiness to school. Students reporting after 8:20 a.m. must report to the attendance office.

Students are given four minutes between classes. During this time, in order to minimize classroom disruptions, students may use the lavatories, the water fountains and stop at their lockers. Students MUST report to class on time, or they will be considered tardy. A student who is late to class without a signed agenda or written excuse will be marked tardy to class via Skyward.

Any student accumulating four unexcused tardies to class or to school will be subject to discipline referral with possible consequence at discretion of the administrator. Additional unexcused tardies to class will result in additional consequences at the discretion of the administrator. Between seventh and eighth period, students will be given five minutes between classes in order to prepare themselves and gather their belongings for bus dismissal.

Educational Tours/Trips (not school sponsored) Students may be excused for family vacations and for non-school sponsored educational trips. Educational trips must receive prior approval from the principal. Parents must submit a written request two weeks in advance detailing the dates of the educational trip, the destination, an assurance that the trip could not be scheduled on non-school time, and a statement of the educational value of the trip.

Educational trips will not be approved during the first two or last two weeks of the school year, or during PA State Assessment windows. The school personnel will notify the parent, in writing, of the decision regarding the appropriateness of the trip. The student is responsible for completing all classroom assignments during the absence. Unapproved trips will be considered unexcused absences. Unexcused absences will result in a zero for everyday missed.

Make Up Work (For Excused Absences)

Students, who are absent for one day, should be prepared to request homework from their teachers upon their return to school. Students who are absent for two or more days may request that a fellow student pick up their assignments or may have a parent/guardian pick up assignments for them. The parent/guardian should notify the office secretary no later than 9:00 a.m of the request that homework assignments be collected from teachers. He or she should also tell the secretary who will be picking up the homework at the end of the day. Students can also check Skyward for information regarding their missed school work. Students are responsible for making up all assignments and course information that they missed during their absence. Students will receive one day to make-up the work for each day they missed. Students will receive a zero for assignments on days recorded as unexcused per school board policy number 204.