here - Copenhagen International School

ATTENDANCE POLICY
At CIS we believe that learning is a social activity. When students are not in attendance they are not just
missing information, they are failing to participate in the learning process. Many learning strategies are
collaborative, aimed at building collective understanding through the participation of all class members.
These strategies cannot be replicated outside the classroom nor repeated for absent students. Student
absences also result in teachers having to re-teach material, and potentially disrupt the learning of others.
Graduation from CIS is based on a credit system. If a student is frequently absent from a class, then they
cannot be said to have completed that class and will not be granted credit. In order for a student to receive
credit for a class, they may miss that class no more than 8 times each semester. If more than 8 classes are
missed, the student will still receive a grade, but no credit will be awarded towards the CIS High School
Diploma.
As our program is academically challenging, a student may lose their place in a class if regular absences
mean that they can no longer be successful.
The allowance of 8 absences is designed to cover short-term illnesses and necessary time off for medical,
personal and family reasons, as well as participation in school extra-curricular activities. Parents should
take this absence limit into account when considering whether to take students on extended trips.
It is expected that parents will monitor their child’s attendance through Veracross. A letter will be sent
home once the student has missed 4 classes in any subject. If a student should miss more than 8 classes,
Dr. Engelberg will notify the student and parents of loss of credit.
Procedure for notification of Absences
If a student is going to be absent, parents should contact the Senior School Office by phone or email,
stating a reason for the absence. The absence will then be marked as ‘excused’. (All absences – excused or
not – count towards the 8 absence limit).
Planned absences should be discussed with Dr. Engelberg (KarstenEngelberg@cis.dk) before arrangements
are made, in order to ensure that the student is not in danger of going over the absence limit. A ‘Planned
Absence Form’ for all trips, both school and personal, should then be submitted. This form must be signed
by all teachers, ensuring that discussion has taken place regarding work that will be missed.
Making up missed work
For absences which are excused, students will be given the opportunity to make up missed daily work
during a period of time agreed by the teacher. For long-term assignments, the teacher has the right to
adhere to a given deadline. For an extension of a long-term deadline, the teacher must be contacted
before the due date.
For absences that are unexcused, students will not necessarily be given the opportunity to make up missed
work, or may not have the grade for that work count towards their semester grade.
Tardiness
Students are expected to arrive in school on time each morning. They are also expected to arrive on time
to all classes. Neither the teacher nor the other students need to accept interruptions due to students
arriving late. Students who arrive more than ten minutes late to class will have an absence recorded. This
absence will count towards the absence limit for that class.
Requests for a waiver
If absences have been caused by extenuating circumstances such as extended illness or a family
emergency, parents should write a letter, addressed to Dr. Engelberg, requesting a waiver to the 8 absence
limit. Proper documentation such as a doctor’s certificate will be required, and waiver requests will be
considered on a case-to-case basis.
CIS Senior School Parent/Student Handbook
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