The Department of Education and State Legislature enacted certain legislation pertaining to attendance of students in school. This legislation recognized personal illness, death, certain religious holidays, or a catastrophe as good reasons for a student to miss school. Absence for any other reason is inexcusable. Riverdale Academy is also required to adhere to policies and procedures established by the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools. The school’s attendance policy meets requirements of the LSDE and MAISA.
- Exempted or Excused: The student is allowed to make up the missed work and the absence is not counted against the attendance requirement. Examples are extended illness documents by a doctor or to celebrate religious holidays. There is no limit to these absences.
- Non Exempted or Non Excused: The student is allowed to make up the missed work but the absence is counted against the attendance requirement. An example is personal or family illness documented by a parent’s note. The number of non-exempt and non-excused absences is based on the number of school days offered. Schools are required to offer 177 days of school, which means a student can be absent ten (10) days (per 177 day school year). If more school days are offered, then the number of absences increases.
- Unexcused: The student is not allowed to make up the missed work and the absence is counted against the attendance requirement. An example is skipping school.
- Suspensions: The student is allowed to make up the missed work but the absence is counted against the attendance requirement.
A student shall be retained if the minimum attendance day requirement is not met. (Policy: MAIS and LSDE)
Morning bell will ring at 7:43 for homeroom. A tardy bell will ring at 7:45. First hour class will begin at 7:45.
- A student is considered to be in attendance when he/she is physically present at the school site or participating in an authorized school activity and under the supervision of authorized personnel.
- Attendance is calculated by the number of instructional minutes a student is present in class during the day.
- Half-day: (26 percent – 50 percent of the instructional day.)
Example: Student must stay at school until after third period.
Student must enter for fourth period. - Whole Day: (51 percent – 100 percent of the instructional day.
Example: Student must stay at school until after fourth period.
Student must enter before third period.
- Half-day: (26 percent – 50 percent of the instructional day.)
- Extenuating circumstances which are not counted against the 167 days when deciding if a student fails or not:
- Extended personal physical or emotional illness as verified by a physician or dentist.
- Extended hospital stay as verified by a physician or dentist.
- Extended recuperation from an accident as verified by a physician or dentist.
- Extended contagious disease within a family as verified by a physician or dentist.
- Prior school system approved travel for education.
- Death in the family (not to exceed one week).
- Natural catastrophe and/or disaster.
- Temporarily excused absences which are counted against the 167 days when deciding if a student fails or not:
- A temporarily excused absence is a note from the parent for personal illness, serious illness in the family, or for recognized religious holidays of the student’s own faith.
- It is the responsibility of the student to see his/her teachers and request the makeup work. This must be done in a reasonable amount of time as determined by the teacher.
- Unexcused absences which are counted against the 167 days when deciding if a student fails or not:
- The student may not make up the work. Students shall not be excused for absences other than those listed as extenuating circumstances or temporarily excused absences. A student with an unexcused absence will not be allowed to play or practice sports after being absent.
- School sponsored events:
- All absences that occur by participants of school sponsored events will be excused. The next day after late night games all students (participants and non-participants) will be in attendance in school.
A letter will be sent home or a phone call will be made to the parent at any time a student misses three consecutive days or five inconsecutive days of school as required by state law.
- When a student has been absent from school, he/she will be required to bring a written excuse from the parent or guardian stating exactly why he/she was absent.
- The announcement sheet will state whether the absence was excused, unexcused, or parent excuse.
- Students will establish the practice of being on time for school. Tardiness disrupts the normal teaching patterns of the classroom and must be avoided.
- Three tardies will constitute an absence.
- Displinary procedures for unexcused tardiness are calculated by the nine-week period:
- Elementary & Junior High (PK-8)
- 3 tardies count as one absence on their attendance record
- High School
- 1st tardy – warning
- 2nd tardy – notify parents
- 3rd tardy – in-school suspension or out-of-school suspension (if deemed appropriate).
A student must have written or verbal permission from his/her parents or guardian to leave school during the period when classes are being conducted. All permissions, whether written or verbal, must be in the office by 8:30 a.m. This will allow information to be on the morning announcement sheet. In order to ensure the safety of all students, changes in transportation from school should be made prior to 2:00. This will limit class interruptions. Upon returning to school, the student must follow the same procedure prescribed for student absences.
CUTTING CLASS
Each student is to be in class during the time he/she is scheduled for that class. If the student is not in class during this time, then he/she is to be referred to the office for disciplinary action.
SATURDAY DETENTION
Saturday detention will be used when a student leaves school without permission, cuts class, breaks classroom rules, or needs to make up missed work. After the student has had 2 infractions, parents will be notifies as a warning. Upon the third infraction – Saturday Detention will be assigned.
It is the responsibility of the student to request make-up work for each subject he/she missed. Consideration will be given to the length of the absence but all work is due in a reasonable amount of time as determined by the teacher.
If a student fails to complete assignments NO MAKE UP work will be allowed. Students should adhere to deadlines. This will train the students for higher education