Attendance Policies

Student Attendance Policies

If a student must be absent for any reason, a parent/guardian must call the school at before 9:00 AM that day to notify the school of the student’s absence. If a parent does not call the school, the attendance staff will attempt to call a parent at home or work.

A written note from a parent/guardian should be provided to the school office for any absence. The note should state the date(s) absent, and the reason for the absence.

Whenever a student arrives at school after the first class has begun, or leaves school before the end of the last class, he/she must check in or out in the school office.

Students who miss any classes due to illness or who have an unexcused absence will not be permitted to participate in any extra-curricular practice or activity on the day of the absence.

Unexpected Absence

Unexpected absences include student illness, bad weather, emergencies, etc. A parent should call the school before 9:00 AM to report the absence. A written note must be provided to the school office when the student returns. If a student becomes ill during the school day, he/she should report to the school office. Attendance staff will contact a parent to pick up the student, or obtain permission for the student to leave school.

Anticipated 1- or 2-Day Absence

The school may grant anticipated absence requests for events such as weddings, funerals, college visits, etc. The attendance staff should be notified by a parent/guardian in writing at least one day prior to the requested day of absence.

Brief Absence

A parent may request that a student be absent form school for a short period of time; i.e. doctor or dentist appointments. Whenever possible, appointments should be scheduled before or after school hours. Parents should send a written note stating the date, departure time, and the reason for the absence. Students may present the note to the attendance staff any day prior to, or the morning of, the expected absence. A permission pass will be issued to the student upon receiving an excuse note. This pass is to be signed by the classroom instructor at the time of departure, and the student must bring the signed pass to the school office to check out before leaving the building.

Multiple Days Absence

Parents may request special permission for a multiple days absence for reasons other than illness or emergency. The school strongly discourages such a practice, since it may impair the student’s academic progress. To obtain permission, parents/guardians should submit a written request to St. Croix at least one week prior to the first day of the absence explaining the occasion and purpose of the absence. After the request is submitted, parents should verify the request with a phone call. Special authorization will not be granted automatically, but will be considered carefully and judged on its individual merits. It should be noted that an extended winter break has been incorporated into the calendar, and parents are encouraged to consider this in their planning.