COUNCIL ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT

August 2012

DearParent or Guardian, 

Regular school attendance isnecessary for a successful school experience. Instructional continuity is interrupted and the valuable interactionthat occurs with teachers and among fellow students is lost when a student isfrequently absent, tardy or dismissed early from school.  Realizing that regular attendance in schoolis necessary for students to gain maximum benefits from public education, the Boardurges all parents/guardians to stress punctuality and regular attendance habitswith their children.  Policy No. 204 ofthe Council Rock School Districtregulates attendance in the schools of Council Rock.  In addition, the school laws of Pennsylvania requireevery parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a child orchildren between the ages of eight and seventeen to send them to school.  The laws further require that, “Once a parentelects to send his child to school, the child must attend continuously untilseventeen years of age, has graduated from a senior high school or has securedlegal employment at age sixteen.”   As we begin the 2012-2013school year, we want to inform you of our policies regarding attendance.  This information is taken from Policy No. 204of the Council Rock School District Policy Manual and can be accessed at www.crsd.org   

Excused Absence: 

Anychild who is absent from school must present a written excuse signed by theparent or guardian immediately upon his/her return.  The note must clearly indicate the reason forabsence and must be presented withinthree school days from the child’s return to school. 

Theschool will classify an absence as “excused” for one of the following reasonsonly:

·        Death in the immediate family

·        Quarantine

·        Exceptionally urgent reasons (will be used only in such unavoidableabsences as affect the welfare of the child directly and not for theconvenience of the parent)

·        Religious observances WITH prior approval

·        Tutorial work

·        Educational tours or trips WITH prior approval (not to exceed five daysper year)

·        Health care 

Anyabsence that can be anticipated beforehand should be brought to the attentionof the building principal well in advance of the absence. 

Secondarystudents who are absent in excess of twenty days from any year-long course maybe denied academic credit for that course. Credit for semester courses may be denied if ten days of absence areexceeded.  Special consideration will begiven to those students who are seriously ill. 

Religious Observation:  For full or part-time absence of a student toobserve a religious holiday, it is necessary that a written request for absencebe presented to the school prior to the religious holiday(s).  Under these circumstances, the student willnot be deprived of eligibility to compete for any award. 

Tutorial work:  Upon written parental request, a student may beexcused during school hours for the purpose of receiving tutorial instructionin a field not offered in the district’s curriculum.  The excused absence shall not interfere withthe student’s regular program of study and the qualifications of the instructorshall be approved by the school district. 

Educational Tours or Trips:  Requests by parents/guardians for permission to havechildren absent from school for educational tours or trips must be made to andprocessed by the principal or his/her designee. The request must be received by the principal at least ten (10) daysprior to the anticipated absence.  Thetotal number of approved days of absence shall not exceed five (5) days in agiven school year.  Daysexceeding these guidelines shall be considered unlawful and/or unexcused.  The parent/guardian must assume the responsibilityfor checking with the principal or his/her designee, at least one (1) week ormore if possible, in advance of the trip, to ascertain the present scholasticstanding of the child in the class.  Thestudent shall be held responsible for making up missed assignments. 

Health care:  Upon written parental request, a student maybe excused during school hours for the purpose of obtaining professional healthcare or therapy service.

Unexcused or UnlawfulAbsences: 

Allabsences for reasons other than those cited above will be considered as“unexcused.”  All “unexcused” absencesfor students under the age of seventeen are also recorded as “unlawful.” 

Thestudent and parent/guardian will be notified of a first and secondunexcused/unlawful absence.  When astudent accumulates three days of unlawful absence in a school year, theprincipal shall send an official “first offense notice” to the parent/guardianand a copy to the Director of Special Services. In addition, a “Truancy Elimination Plan” will be developed to improvestudent attendance.  For each incident ofunlawful absence after the first notice has been sent, the principal may directthe attendance officer to issue a second offense citation to theparents/guardian of the student and file a complaint with the DistrictMagistrate.  The principal or designeeand the attendance officer shall attend citation hearings as scheduled by theDistrict Magistrate.    

Cumulative Absences 

Whenevera student accumulates ten (10) or more absences in a school year (fifteen ormore if five of these absences are pre-approved for educational trips/tours), a“Truancy Elimination Plan” will be developed to improve student attendance. 

Consecutive Absences 

Whenevera student has ten (10) consecutive absences and there is no evidence that theseabsences are “excused”, the district shall begin the process to remove thestudent from its active membership roll.  

Tardiness and EarlyDismissal: 

Whenever students arrive late or depart prior to the end ofthe school day, parents must present the school with a written note explainingthe situation.  These incidents arerecorded as “excused” or “unexcused” applying the same criteria as those forfull-day absences. 

Students arriving after the midpoint of the morning ordeparting before the midpoint of the school day will be recorded as ½ dayabsent. 

Additionalschool district attendance information is available on the Council Rock websitewww.crsd.org.    

Respectfully,

Barry J. Desko

Director of Secondary Education &

StudentAccounting