WLHS Attendance Information

 

From the Limestone County Schools Handbook

Student Absences

Student absences are classified as excused or unexcused. Absences for the following reasons will be deemed excused with supporting documentation submitted within 3 school days:


  • Personal illness (Limit of 10 days per year without doctor’s excuse)

  • Hospitalization/ Medical or dental appointment of student

  • Emergency (approved by principal)

  • Death in immediate family

  • Court subpoena

  • Religious holiday (with prior written approval by principal) 

  • Absence approved by principal (absence must be approved 5 days in advance)

Absences for reasons other than those listed above and for those lacking the appropriate supporting documentation will be deemed unexcused. Supporting documentation will not be accepted after 3 school days upon the student’s return to school. Excessive unexcused absences from school may result in a loss of academic credit and/or a referral to legal authorities.
        
Chronic Absenteeism    
To address problems with chronic absenteeism, students in Grades K-12 who accumulate 18 or more absences, by definition chronically absent, will not be allowed to participate in non-academic school activities (e.g., prom, in- school games, dances, and field days). Principals will use discretion when chronic illnesses or extended hospital stays are involved.  

Field Trips

To address problems with chronic absenteeism, students in Grades K-12 who accumulate 5 or more absences per semester will not be allowed to participate in field trips. Principals will use discretion when chronic illnesses or extended hospital stays are involved.    

E-Learning Days    

E-Learning Days are an opportunity for students to meet class requirements through online engagement of class material and assignments while they are away from the building. Parents/guardians may request up to three (3) days per semester as E-Learning Days. Educational trips, non-school related athletic competitions, and college and/or career visits are examples of acceptable E-Learning Days.

Student requirements to participate in E-Learning Days:      

  • Request to use an E-Learning Day made by parent/guardian a minimum of five (5) calendar days prior to the 1st day of online learning (Principals may use discretion. Forms may be found on district and school websites.)

  • No unexcused absences for the entire school year, excessive absences (5 or more in a school year), or excessive tardiness (5 or more in a semester)

  • Minimum average of 80 in each class prior to the request

  • No Class II or Class III discipline write-ups during the semester the request is made

  • Students may not take E-Learning Day during the first 5 days of the school year or during the last 10 days of both semesters.

Students have a maximum of five (5) days to complete and submit class assignments, acquire teacher signatures for submitted work, and submit E-Learning Day Form to the front office. It is the student’s responsibility to acquire the signature of each teacher on the E-Learning Day Form once assignments are submitted. Once all teachers have signed the form, students will submit the completed form to the front office. If all requirements are met, the E- Learning Day will not count as an absence for the student.

 

Guidelines for Makeup Work     
For all grades: Federal Law requires adherence to 504s, IEPs, PLPs, etc. and accommodations contained within these always supersede the following guidelines.
        
Students have three school days to bring in a written excuse for an absence.
Additional days to make up work may be granted to a student with administrator approval.
Makeup tests/exams must be of comparable rigor and quantity of questions to the missed test/exam.
        
Grades K – 5
For either excused or unexcused absences:
Teachers will make available any missed work to students in grades K-5 and/or their parents. It should be completed by the student and returned to the teacher by the end of the 5th school day following the absence. All work will be accepted, graded, and the grade earned posted into the gradebook management system.
        
Grades 6 – 12
Excused Absences:
It is the responsibility of students in grades 6-12 to contact the teacher(s) to arrange for all make-up work. Students are permitted 5 school days to complete and submit their make-up work. Work is due before the end of the 5th day. Submitted work is accepted, graded, and posted into the grade book management system. Unsubmitted work will earn a 0%.

Unexcused Absences:

The student whose absence is unexcused is not entitled to make up the graded work missed. If a daily or test grade is recorded on the day of absence, the student whose absence is unexcused receives a zero for a grade. If no grade is recorded for other students, no grade will be recorded for the student who is absent.    

Truancy

Habitual/excessive unexcused absences from school may require Board officials to refer the matter to juvenile authorities or to initiate truancy proceedings. Seven unexcused absences within a school year constitute a student being truant for the purpose of filing a petition with the Court. The following Early Warning timeline will define the truancy status of a student:   

  • 1st truancy/unexcused absence – Warning     

  • 3rd unexcused absence – parent and administrator conference    

  • 5th unexcused absence – parent and SRO conference    

  • 7th unexcused absence – court 

 

Only doctor notes will be accepted for student absences once a case has been filed in truancy court. 

 

 

Specific to West Limestone:

Attendance Procedures

  • Attendance will be taken EVERY period.

  • If a student is tardy or needs to check in late, they will need to go to the main office to check in.
    Mrs. Leigh Carter in the front office will note the tardy/excuse in PowerSchool.

  • Mrs. Magan Stewart is our Attendance Clerk that manages absence notes in PowerSchool. If you have a question about an absence, you can email her at magan.stewart@lcsk12.org. Teachers can only post attendance. Teachers can not make any absence changes. 

     

Attendance Notes

Students should turn in their absence note within 3 days to the main office. The absence will remain unexcused in PowerSchool until a note is received within 3 days.

 

Check In and Check Out

A parent note to Check In/Check Out will be entered as Parent Note Excused. Only five parent notes are allowed per semester (this includes full day absences and check in/out). A doctor note, legal note, etc. will be required after the 5 parent notes are used each semester. 

Student Drivers must have a note to the main office by 8:30 a.m. to check out.