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Attendance

Attendance/Compulsory Education Attendance Policy Goals Attendance Responsibilities Check-in/Check-out Policy
Clinic/Illness Closed Campus and Visitors Educational Leave Emergency Phone Numbers
Home and Hospital Tardy Policy Truancy Policy Withdrawal from School
SHMS Policy and Disclosure Menu  

Attendance/Compulsory Education Law
Attendance: It is very important that students make every effort to attend school. Activities, discussions, simulations, and presentations occur every day and cannot be duplicated even by after-school instruction or makeup work. Educational achievement comes through class participation as well as by assignments, projects, and tests. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify school officials of legitimate absences. Legitimate absences are defined as: verified illness, medical appointments, bereavement, court appearances, emergencies, pre-approved educational leave, and particular family or religious events.  2021-22 Attendance Code Introduction Handout 07202021

Compulsory Education Law: Utah Compulsory Attendance Law 53G-6-202 requires every school-age child to be in school. Parents are responsible for their children’s regular school attendance and may be charged with a misdemeanor if they fail to ensure their student’s regular attendance. Parents are responsible for notifying the school when an absence occurs within five school days of the absence.

Attendance Policy Goals: The South Hills Middle School attendance policy will help students achieve success in their courses as well as accomplish the following goals:

  • Develop student responsibility
  • Develop quality citizenship
  • Increase respect for teachers, other students, and learning
  • Prepare for future employment

Attendance Responsibilities
The Role of the School and Administration

  • The administration shall identify students with attendance issues and work cooperatively with parents and students to improve attendance.
  • The administration shall use earnest and persistent effort to improve student’s attendance.

The Role of the Attendance Office

  • The attendance office shall keep administrators and parents informed of attendance problems.
  • The attendance office shall notify parents of excessive absenteeism by phone message, email, or letter.
  • The attendance office shall review attendance daily and resolve discrepancies in student attendance records.

The Role of the Teacher

  • Teachers shall keep accurate roll of all absences and tardies.
  • Teachers shall emphasize the importance of punctuality by beginning class promptly with meaningful instruction.
  • Teachers shall discuss attendance issues with students as they arise and inform the school administration if attendance does not improve.

The Role of the Student

  • Students shall gain the most of their educational experience by regularly attending and being on time to all classes.
  • Students shall be present in assigned or designated areas at all times.
  • Students shall follow proper check-in/check-out procedures.
  • Students shall obtain make-up assignments from the teacher due to an absence and shall return them according to classroom procedures.

The Role of the Parent

  • Parents shall avoid interruptions of the academic year and plan medical appointments and vacations at times that will not require students to be out of school.
  • Parents shall support school, district policies and state law by expecting regular school attendance.
  • In the case of illness or other legitimate reasons for absences, the parent shall contact the attendance office within one week and notify the school of their student’s absence. After 5 school days, the absence will remain unexcused.

Check-In & Check-Out Policy:

Any student coming to school during the first 10 minutes will go directly to their first period class. Any student coming to school after the first 10 minutes should go to the attendance office to check in. A parent note to check in will not be needed. PLEASE NOTE our check-in, checkout and absence excusal procedures. You may find tutorials on these procedures by clicking on the following links:

Clinic / Illness:
A student who becomes ill during the school day will report to the clinic in the Attendance Office with a note from their current teacher for permission to call home. A student may lie down in the sick room for up to 15 minutes, after which they will be sent back to class. Students must sign out of the sick room in the Attendance Office. Students are counted truant if they do not sign in and out properly. If a student is too ill to remain at school, parents/guardians will be contacted to provide transportation to the doctor or home as soon as possible. Only a parent or family/emergency contact listed on Skyward may check a student out of school. In case of an emergency, the paramedics and the student’s parents will be notified.

Closed Campus and Visitors:
South Hills Middle School has a closed campus policy which means students are not allowed to leave the campus without following the proper checkout procedures. Only currently registered students will be allowed to attend classes and activities or be on school property. Student visitors are not allowed at school. Adult visitors must report to the main office to sign in and receive a visitor’s pass. Parents wishing to attend a class must obtain the permission of the administration and the teacher prior to the visit.

Educational Leave:
Students may apply for up to 10 days of educational leave per school year. Students will obtain a leave form in the attendance office (or download the attached PDF) and complete and return the form before leaving on vacation. Educational Leave Form (PDF)

Emergency Phone Numbers:
In order to reach parents in an emergency, make sure you submit changes of address or phone numbers to the attendance office or via your parent Skyward log-in. Please list anyone in the emergency contacts that you might want to have check-out your student; otherwise, we will be unable to release your child to that person.

Home and Hospital:
When a doctor writes an order for a student to be out of school for over ten school days, a parent or guardian needs to contact the Counseling Center to arrange for Home and Hospital teaching services. The doctor note must be provided to the Counseling Center before Home and Hospital instruction can begin.

Tardy Policy:
School success starts with attendance. Attendance is an accurate predictor of graduation. Attendance in middle school helps our students develop good relationships and communication skills. Our students need to be in school in order to afford them the greatest likelihood of success, both academically and socially. As part of a team effort to help our students build connections, develop healthy habits and behaviors, and increase their motivation to be in school, South Hills Middle School implements the Attendance Policy outlined below:

Tardy Policy:
➢ Students should be in their classroom when the tardy bell rings. Students who are not in the scheduled classrooms when the tardy bell rings will be marked tardy.
➢ When the tardy bell rings, teachers will close their doors.
➢ Students who are not in their classrooms will line up outside their respective classroom door and complete a brief questionnaire about their tardiness. Teachers will have a QR code posted outside their doors that links to a tardy ticket.
➢ Five minutes after the tardy bell, teachers will admit students who have lined up and completed the tardy ticket. Students who are tardy to class will not be permitted to use a hall pass for that class period.
➢ Students who are not lined up nor admitted into the classroom must report to the Attendance Office to meet with their Assistant Principal or one of our Academic Mentors who will discuss the tardy with the student and email home. Data will be collected, similar to teachers, to help us better understand the tardy.
➢ Students who fail to report to the Attendance Office and meet with their Assistant Principal or Academic Mentor will be marked truant rather than tardy.
➢ Data collected through tardy tickets will be available to parents/guardians upon request and provided via emails to help us all find solutions to address any patterns.
➢ Students will then complete school work for the remainder of the period at a location determined by the school.
➢ With every ten (10) tardies, students must attend their choice of an extra study session (either Wednesday from 3:15pm to 3:55 pm or Friday from 9:15am to 9:55 am). Failure to attend an extra study session will result in an out of school suspension.
➢ Tardies in any single class will negatively impact a student’s Citizenship Grade for that class which subsequently may impact the student’s seat on field trips or in assemblies

Truancy: Students are to be in their scheduled class during class time. Students who leave campus during class or intentionally miss more than half of a class will be marked truant.

Truancy Policy:
➢ Students are to be in their scheduled class during class time. Students who leave campus during class or intentionally miss more than half of any class will be marked truant.
➢ With every three (3) truancies, students must attend their choice of an extra study session (either Wednesday from 3:15pm to 3:55 pm or Friday from 9:15am to 9:55 am). Failure to attend an extra study session will result in an out of school suspension.
➢ Truancies in any single class will negatively impact a student’s Citizenship Grade for that class which subsequently may impact the student’s seat on field trips or in assemblies

Withdrawal From School:
When students move outside the school boundaries, they need to withdraw from South Hills. This process includes obtaining a withdrawal sheet from the Attendance Office, receiving clearance from each teacher, returning Chromebook and all textbooks, cleaning out lockers, and paying fines/fees. Failure to complete all of these steps may result in delay or denial of credit.