Attendance Requirements
Classroom attendance and participation is an integral part of the school experience. Regular attendance also develops patterns of behavior essential to success in later life, both personal and professional. Even though students may make up work missed because of absences, they may never be able to replace the educational, cultural, and social contacts they would have experienced through face to face instruction and class participation. Accordingly, the Wilkes County Board of Education expects each student to attend every class.
Loss of Opportunity to Earn Credit Due to Inadequate Attendance in Grades 9-12
A student shall lose credit for absences beyond six (6) unless the student makes up all work required by the teacher, completes the semester with a passing average (not counting the final exam grade), and makes a grade of 70 or higher on the final exam.
Appeal Process
Any student who is denied the opportunity to earn credit for any course shall have a right to appeal to the school’s attendance committee.
A “Class Attendance Appeal Request” form must be completed near the end of the semester if a student has missed more than 6 days in a class. The notice and request for appeal must contain evidence demonstrating why the student should be allowed the opportunity to earn credit for the course. Written documents in support of the student’s statement must be attached to the notice of request for appeal.
Absences
Excused Absences- The Wilkes County Board of Education shall excuse the temporary absence of a student upon a showing of satisfactory evidence of one of the following bases:
1. Absence due to illness or injury
2. Absence due to the death of an immediate/household member of the family
3. Absence due to a medical/dental appointment (doctor notes will be accepted at the principal’s discretion)
4. Absence due to being under subpoena as a witness in the proceedings of a court or administrative tribunal.
5. Absence due to the observance of an event required or suggested by the religion of the student or the student’s parents (as approved by the principal).
Consecutive Absences- After the tenth consecutive absence, any student age 16 or over will be dropped from the school’s enrollment unless the school has been notified of the student’s need to be absent for more than ten consecutive days.
Unexcused Absences- For every unexcused absence, the student shall immediately meet with each teacher of every class missed and shall, to the satisfaction of the teacher of the class missed, make up all work missed.
Check In/Check Out Procedures
Students arriving on campus after 7:45 am must come by the front office to check in and receive an admission slip to present to their teacher. Students should not be permitted to class without an admission slip.
Students will be allowed to check out of school under the following conditions:
- A parent/guardian comes to the front office to sign the student out (valid identification may be required). Parents/Guardians should not call ahead to sign their student (s) out.
- A note is presented to the front office before the school day begins with the student’s name, reason for dismissal, parent signature and a contact number to verify the note. Once the note is verified, we will make arrangements for the student to be dismissed from class at the appropriate time.
- For purposes of attendance, a student must be in class for at least half of the class period to be counted present, otherwise the student will be counted absent.
- Students will NOT be permitted to check out during SMART Lunch unless a doctor’s note is provided. This is a protected hour for our students to receive tutoring and to participate in extra-curricular school sponsored activities.
***Students who are 18 years old or older must have parental permission to check out***
Tardy Policy
It is absolutely necessary that students be in class and prepared for the lesson to begin when the tardy bell rings. A tardy student disrupts the instructional process for the entire class. The following policy will be followed concerning tardies.
● Students arriving after the 7:45am bell are considered tardy. Any student considered tardy should check in at the front office.
○ 1st Tardy–Office Documentation
○ 2nd Tardy–Office Documentation
○ 3rd Tardy–Office Documentation, Meeting with Administration, Administration makes parent contact
○ 4th + Tardy–Lunch Detention
● Habitual tardiness to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods will be dealt with at administrator discretion.
***If a student driver accumulates excessive tardies, his/her driving privileges may be revoked***
For the full Wilkes County Schools High School Attendance Policy 4400, please
visit the Wilkes County Schools Website.