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 make an 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 an 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 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 five days, the absence will remain unexcused.
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:
- Family Access Absence Instructions
- Mobile Tutorial
- Desktop Tutorial
- Family Access Check In_Out Instructions (Spanish)
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 must contact the Counseling Center to arrange for Home and Hospital teaching services. The doctor's note must be provided to the Counseling Center before Home and Hospital instruction can begin.
School success starts with good attendance - in class and on time. Middle school attendance is an accurate predictor of high school graduation. Good attendance helps our students develop positive relationships, as well as achieve their best academically.
Poor attendance disrupts our classrooms and school. When students are tardy to class, they create a disruption to the learning momentum and classroom environment for other students. When students are truant, they are in places they do not belong and can engage in activities that break trust, disrupt learning, or risk the safety of themselves or others.
To support students with their academic and attendance behaviors and decisions, South Hills Middle School will implement the Attendance Policy outlined below:
Tardy Policy:
➢ Students must be in their assigned seats when the tardy bell rings. Students who are not in their assigned seat when the tardy bell rings will be marked ‘Tardy’ (T).
➢ With every fifteen (15) tardy marks, students must attend a Study Session. Failure to attend a Study Session will result in a day in the Tiger Intervention Room or an out-of-school suspension.
➢ Tardy marks in any single class will negatively impact the Citizenship Grade for that class. Poor Citizenship Grades will result in restrictions from field trips, assemblies, and the year-end stomp.
Way Late:
➢ Students who arrive to class more than 10 minutes after the bell will be marked with a ‘Way Late’ (W) on their attendance record.
➢ With every ten (10) Way Late marks, students must attend a Study Session. Failure to attend a Study Session will result in a day in the Tiger Intervention Class or an out-of-school suspension.
➢ Way Late marks in any single class will negatively impact the Citizenship Grade for that class. Poor Citizenship Grades will result in restrictions from field trips, assemblies, and the year-end stomp.
Truancy:
➢ Students must be in their assigned class. Students who are not in their assigned class, leave campus without prior excusal, or are more than 20 minutes late to their class will be marked ‘Truant’ (Z).
➢ With every three (3) truancy marks, students must attend a Study Session. Failure to attend a Study Session will result in a day in the Tiger Intervention Room or an out-of-school suspension.
➢ Truancy marks in any single class will negatively impact the Citizenship Grade for that class. Poor Citizenship Grades will result in restrictions from field trips, assemblies, and the year-end stomp.
Study Session:
➢ Students with poor attendance marks as outlined above must attend a Study Session.
➢ Study Sessions will be held:
○ Wednesdays from 3:10 pm to 3:50pm
○ Fridays from 9:10 am to 9:50am
➢ Study Session expectations:
○ Cell phones must be turned in or kept away
○ Students will not talk or socialize
○ Students must remain in their assigned seats
➢ Students who choose not to comply with Study Session expectations during their Study Session will be dismissed from the Study Session and assigned to a school day in the Tiger Intervention Room or an out-of-school suspension.
Tiger Intervention Room:
➢ Students who fail to attend a Study Session or continue to accrue Tardy, Way Late, and/or Truancy marks will be assigned to the Tiger Intervention Room (Room 201).
➢ Tiger Intervention Room expectations:
○ Cell phones must be turned in or kept away
○ Students will not talk or socialize except when approved
○ Students must remain in their assigned seats except when approved
○ Students will be brought a school lunch or must bring their own lunch
➢ Students who choose not to comply with the Tiger Intervention Room expectations will be dismissed and assigned an out-of-school suspension.
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.