State Law and School Policy
Indiana State Law (IC 20-33 Chapter 2) requires that all students eighteen years of age or younger regularly and faithfully attend school or be reported truant. A habitual truant is defined as a student who has 10 or more unexcused absences in one year. Therefore, a student who accumulates more than 5 days of unexcused absences in one semester may be dismissed from the school.
Any student who misses 21 or more days of school in a one-year period (excused or unexcused) or more than 10 days in a semester may be required to repeat the current grade level regardless of academic performance.
Absences, late arrivals, and early departures will be classified as excused or unexcused based on the guidelines outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook.
Excused Absences:
-
Personal injury or illness (doctor's note may be required when absences are excessive)
-
Death of a relative
-
Medical or dental appointments
-
Once-in-a-lifetime event (wedding or funeral of a family member, etc.)
-
Court-mandated appearance or visitation
-
Planned family absence - up to five pre-approved absences (days) per year not during blackout dates.
-
Such other good cause that may be excused by the administration or permitted by law.
Unexcused Absences:
-
Oversleeping
-
Working or personal business
-
Taking "cuts" or truancy; hanging out with and friends
-
Suspension
-
Planned absences that (1) are not submitted 72 hours in advance to the school office (2) exceed planned family absences or (3) are during "blackout dates” (see below).
-
Unexcused absences that are not pre-approved may also result in demerits.
BLACKOUT DAYS - Planned absence requests will not be approved for the following blackout days: the last week of either semester, required all-school events (Competitions, Awards Program,etc.), E-learning Days, and Achievement Testing Days.