When students are going to be absent from school, the parent/guardian must call (561) 314-2129 to report their son/daughter absent. A phone call needs to be made to the Attendance office before 8:30 am. If a phone call is not received by the attendance office by 8:30 am, an electronic message will be calling parents informing them of their child being absent from school that day.

 

When students return to school after an absence, they must present a school form to the Attendance Office indicating the reason for absence, date, etc, and signed by the parent/guardian. Should the student need to be dismissed from school early, he/she must submit to the Attendance office an EARLY DISMISSAL from completed by his/her parent/guardian BEFORE first hour. Rules governing student absence/tardiness are delineated in the Student Handbook.

 

 

ATTENDANCE

Regular and punctual attendance for class is essential if a student is to realize his or her academic potential; therefore, students are expected to be present and actively involved in class every school day. It is worth noting that both absences and tardies are part of the students’ permanent record as required by law. Such records are used by colleges in the application process and in employment interviews. Each academic department has written guidelines that list the class attendance/participation percentage for their courses. Pope John Paul II High School expects all students attending the school to maintain residency with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

 

When a student must be absent, the following procedure is to be followed:

     1. The student’s parent or guardian must call the school, on or before 9:30 AM on the day absent, to report the absence and the reason. Call (561) 314-2129.

     2. BEFORE 7:40 AM on the day of the student’s return to school, he/she must present a note, signed by the parent or guardian, to the Clinic. Forms for this note are distributed to the student at the beginning of the academic year. Additional forms are available in the Clinic. All information requested on the form is to be provided. No student should report to class without first giving the school his/her absentee form. *Failure to follow this procedure will result in a detention. In addition, students who submit an attendance note containing false or misleading information are subject to disciplinary penalty.

     3. Any student who wishes to participate in a school-sponsored event in the afternoon or evening of a school day must have been in attendance for five complete periods. (For underclassmen attending a Prom, a complete day of school attendance is required.)

     4. When students are absent, (with parent/medical documentation or school related absence, such as athletics, KAIROS, field trips, etc.), it is their responsibility to make up school work, homework, quizzes and tests in a timely fashion. Minimally, a one day grace period for any make up work will be given for each day of a school-related absence. At the discretion of the individual teacher, this grace period may be extended.

     5. The following are reasons which constitute an excused absence from school:

          a. Personal illness: the school may require the certificate of a doctor if it is deemed necessary.

          b. Illness in the family: in such case, all schoolwork should be kept current.

          c. Death of a relative.

     6. The following excuses constitute an unexcused absence from school: “visiting,” “vacation,” “away,” “needed at home,” “work,” “overslept,” “caring for baby,” “traffic,” “personal,” and so on. Even though a student’s parents may have requested the absence, an absence may be considered unexcused if the school cannot endorse the reasons for it.

TEACHERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO MAKE UP WORK MISSED BECAUSE OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCE. EACH TEACHER MAY HANDLE THIS ACCORDING TO HIS/HER OWN DISCRETION.

     7. All absences, whether excused or unexcused count toward the senior exam exemption policy. The only exceptions are school-related absences (such as athletics, KAIROS, field trips, required college interviews with prior approval and documentation from Guidance, etc.).

     8. Given the importance of class time to the educational experience of the student, chronic absenteeism will not be tolerated. Students who exceed nine days absence per semester, exclusive of school related absences, may be required to appear before an Attendance Review Board to explain the reasons for the absenteeism. Penalties for excessive absenteeism could range from mandatory make-up time and/or loss of credit, to withdrawal from school. Excessive tardy demerits may result in being subject to the same procedures.

     9. Students absent for only part of the school day before a test are responsible for obtaining that day’s assignment/review before leaving school. Tests will be taken the next school day.

     10. Absences and tardies will affect quarter grades.

 

EARLY DISMISSAL/ILLNESS DURING SCHOOL DAY

Once a student arrives at school in the morning, he/she may not leave the premises until the school day is over without written parental permission and clearance with the Clinic/Dean. Pope John Paul II High School cannot be responsible for students who leave campus without permission.

 

Any student who is too ill or fatigued to follow the school program must return home. Students who become ill must first secure a pass from their teacher and then report to the Clinic. In the case of a student returning home, someone will call home to request that the student be signed out/picked up. Students are not to make a phone call on their own. Cell phones may not be used for this purpose. If a student leaves campus sick, he/she may not return for the balance of that day.

 

Parents are asked to use the utmost discretion in requesting that a student be dismissed before the closing of the school day. Because of the interruption in the student’s instructional program caused by such withdrawals, the school reserves the right to review the seriousness of the reason given for the request, and to deny permission if it sees fit. Please use the form given to students for early dismissals. This form calls for the student’s name, reason for dismissal, parent signature and parent phone number. The completed form should be handed in to the Attendance Office/Clinic before the first hour of the day of the scheduled early dismissal. It is worth noting that absences, tardies, and early dismissals are part of the students’ permanent record. Such records are used by colleges in the application process and in employment interviews. It is strongly suggested that medical appointments be scheduled for after school hours.