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Students |
Regular, uninterrupted classroom instruction,
classroom participation, and interaction with classmates are essential to t=
he
educational process. Preparat=
ion
and training for subsequent study or employment includes the development of
self-discipline through regular class attendance. For these reasons and others, stat=
e law
requires that all children of appropriate age and condition attend classes
regularly. See the
The New Mexico
Children’s Code provides that if a child has more than ten unexcused
absences per semester, the child’s family may be designated a
“family in need of services,” or a “family in need of
court-ordered supervision.”
N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 32A-3A-2(A)(1) and
32A-3B-2(A). A child who is
permitted by his or her parents to be chronically truant may also be a
“neglected child.”
Maintaining regular sc=
hool
attendance is the joint responsibility of parents and educators. In keeping with that obligation, t=
he
following rules for school attendance shall be observed and enforced for
secondary students.
A. Definitions
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B. Attendance Requirement=
s
1. Parent Notification of
Absence: parent or guardian s=
hall
notify the school each day his or her child will be absent from any class a=
nd
the reason for the absence; or shall provide a written and signed verificat=
ion
of the reason for the student’s absence, to be presented upon the fir=
st
day a student returns to school from any absence. If a student has been absent for t=
hree (3)
or more consecutive days due to illness, the principal or his/her designee =
may
require written verification from the student’s professional health-c=
are
provider.
2. Prolonged Illness: In cases of chronic or prolonged
illnesses expected to last 10 days or more, during which the student is abl=
e to
do school work, the student’s parent or guardian shall present written
verification by the student’s professional health care provider of the
expected length of the illness and of the student’s ability to do sch=
ool
work at home, and the student shall be placed on home-bound study until he =
or
she can return to school.
3. Make Up
of Work Missed, Excused Absence; Grades:&n=
bsp;
Following an excused absence, a student shall be given a reasonable =
time
by his or her teacher as defined within the Lake Arthur Municipal
Schools’ Student Handbook within which to make up the work the student
missed during the absence.
4. Make Up
of Work Missed, Unexcused Absence; Grades:=
Following an unexcused absence, a student shall be allowed to make up
the work missed provided that the student submits work to the teacher the
following day after the unexcused absence and provided it meets published
administrative regulations. M=
ake up
work caused by an unexcused absence shall have ten (10) points deducted from
the summative grade given to each assignment that constitutes a studentR=
17;s
make up work.
If an abs=
entee
is truant as determined by attendance policy and by applicable
administrative regulations and/or if=
the
student fails to make up the work missed during
an excused or unexcused
absence within the time permitted, any work for which a grade
was taken will be counted=
as a
zero, entered in the teacher’s grade book, and averaged
into the student’s g=
rades
for the relevant grading period.
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5. Discipline: In addition to the other measures =
to be
imposed according to this policy, students may receive detention, in-school
suspension, or other discipline designed to keep the student in school and
progressing academically, for each unexcused absence, at the discretion of =
the
Principal or his/her designee.
Out-of-school suspension and expulsion will not be used as punishment
for truancy or unexcused absences.
6. Notice to Parents of
Unexcused Absence: If a stude=
nt is
absent from school without a parent notification of absence, as required by
paragraph B.1, above, the principal or his/her designee will, as soon pract=
icable,
contact the parents or legal guardians by telephone or general mail to give
notice of the student’s absence and to ascertain and document the rea=
son
for the absence.
7. =
Third Unexcused Absence-Parent Contact with Administration Required=
: Upon a student’s accrual of a
third unexcused absence, the school will provide a written notice to the
student’s parent or legal guardian that the parent/guardian shall be
required to inform the Principal or his/her designee by person-to-person
contact and/or meeting for the purpose of identifying the cause(s) of the
unexcused absences, and to establish a plan to prevent future unexcused
absences. The plan will be
confirmed in writing and signed by the principal and the parent or legal
guardian.
8. Fifth Unexcused Absenc=
e-
Parent Conference Required with Notice to Probation Services Office. Upon a student’s accrual of a
fifth unexcused absence, the school will provide a written notice to the
student’s parent or legal guardian that the parent/guardian shall be
required to meet with the Principal or his/her designee for the purpose of
identifying the cause(s) of the unexcused absences and to establish a plan =
to
prevent future unexcused absences.
The Plan will be confirmed in writing and signed by the Principal and
the parent or legal guardian during the conference.
9. Seventh Unexcused
Absence-Parent Conference Required and Notice to Probation Services
Office: Upon student’s
accrual of a seventh unexcused absence during the school year, the school s=
hall
notify the student’s parent/guardian that he or she is required to at=
tend
a further conference to review the plan to prevent unexcused absences. Notice of the fifth and the sevent=
h unexcused
absence notices will also be sent to the Probation Services Office for the
judicial district in which the student resides for appropriate action, which
may include investigation under the Children’s Code.
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10. Additional Unexcused
Absences: Following notificat=
ion of
a student’s fifth unexcused absence, the school will continue to prov=
ide
written notification to the Probation Services Office of a student’s
accrual of additional unexcused absences.
11. Parent Failure to Meet=
: If a parent/guardian fails to arra=
nge,
or to appear for, a conference regarding unexcused absences within ten (10)
days of notice from the school, the school will provide written notice to t=
he
Probation Services Office of such failure.=
School staff will cooperate with the Juvenile Probation Office or the
District Attorney in enforcement actions.
12. Notice and Reports of
Habitual Truancy: The school =
shall
provide written notice of habitual truancy by certified mail to, or by pers=
onal
service on, the parent/guardian of the student. If a student continues to accrue
unexcused absences after written notice of habitual truancy has occurred, t=
he
student shall be reported to the Probation Services Office of the judicial
district where the student resides for an investigation as to whether the
student shall be considered to be a neglected child or a child in a family =
in
need of services because of habitual truancy and thus subject to the provis=
ions
of the Children’s Code.
13. Excessive and Pattern
Absences: Habitual student ab=
sences
shall be monitored for patterns (i.e., every Monday or Friday), and reporte=
d as
required herein.
14. Distribution of
Policy-Acknowledge of Receipt: A
copy of this policy and an acknowledgment form will be issued to each stude=
nt
on the first day of school. T=
he
student shall return the acknowledgement form, signed by his or her
parent/guardian no later than the fifth day of school. A student who fails to return a si=
gned
form within that time shall be subject to the disciplinary actions prescrib=
ed
herein.
Cross Ref.: &= nbsp;
Legal: =
&= nbsp; &nbs= p; New Mexico Children’s Code
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RECEIPT AND COMPLIANCE ACKNOWLEDGE=
MENT
I
have received, read and understand the Lake Arthur Municipal Schools’
Student Attendance Policy. As=
a
student, I acknowledge that the district is required to follow the New Mexi=
co
Compulsory Attendance Law, the New Mexico Children’s Code and Board
Policy/Administrative Regulations in recording and reporting attendance and
student academic performance as it applies to excused, unexcused, or truant
absences. As a parent/guardia=
n, I
acknowledge, that I will be held liable for failing to comply with Compulso=
ry
Attendance statutes, Children’s Code regulations and procedures and B=
oard
Policy/Administrative Regulations.
I acknowledge that I have read and understand the recording and
reporting of student academic performance as it applies to excused, unexcus=
ed,
or truant absences.
Failure
to return this acknowledgement page within five days of its issuance through
the student to the parent shall make the student subject to disciplinary
actions prescribed within the Lake Arthur Municipal Schools Attendance Poli=
cy.
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of Parent/Guardian
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Fn: BoardPolicy/StudentAttendancePolic= y300.doc
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