Arsenal Technical High School Student / Parent Information Guide

Attendance PolicyArsenal Technical High School CampusFall 2007 – Spring 2008The educational academies of the Arsenal Technical High School Campus are committed to an attendancepolicy that promotes an appreciation among students of the need to attend school regularly and punctually inorder to successfully develop social, emotional and academic skills. The state of Indiana, as expressed by theCompulsory Attendance Statute (I.C 20-8.1-3), and the Indianapolis Public School system has establishedresponsible attendance habits as a priority issue. IPS has included attendance in its Accountability Planchallenging all schools and individual students to meet a 95% average daily attendance rate.In accordance with this effort, the Arsenal Technical High School Campus has adopted the following policy.PolicyStudents who miss more than eight (8) days in a semester will receive a failing grade for that class. This is acombination of excused (E) and unexcused (U) absences. Each academy will develop an aggressiveintervention policy to assure that every student has the support and encouragement necessary to meet thisattendance requirement.Classification of Countable AbsencesAbsences shall be generally classified as excused or unexcused in accordance with the following:Excused: An Excused Absence occurs when a student is absent from school or an individual class with eitherthe approval or consent of the Academic Dean or the Academic Dean’s designee, or as authorized by Indianalaw.The following are absences that are generally recognized as excused:1. Illness or Emergency – Absence due to illness or emergency shall be classified as excused.The students parent/guardian shall contact the ATHS attendance office, by phone or writtennote, the morning of the day the student is absent.2. Health Care and Social Services Appointments- Every effort should be made to schedulethese appointments outside the student’s school day. If this is not possible, a statement fromthe appropriate provider should be presented to the ATHS attendance office explaining thisabsence.3. Religious Instruction Commitments. This is for religious instruction in accordance withIndiana law I.C. 20-8.2-3-22.4. Other Absence – All other absences are generally considered unexcused unless, in thejudgment of the Academic Dean, extenuating circumstances warrant the absence beingclassified as excused.Unexcused: An Unexcused Absence occurs when a student is absent from school or and individual class without obtaining either the approval or consent of the Academic Dean or the Academic Dean’s designee, or asauthorized by Indiana law.