Attendance Procedures

  • Attendance Policies and Procedures

    The purpose of the attendance policy is to encourage regular and consistent attendance and punctuality in school by ALL students. There is a high connection between good attendance, academic achievement and successful every day work experience. To ensure positive work and study habits, West Meck administration and faculty believe that students must be in class in order to fully maximize their educational opportunities.

    Students are expected to be on time and attend class daily.  Each student is expected to contribute to the daily academic activities in their classes. When a student is continuously absent the educational experience will be diminishes. Regular and constant school attendance helps develop responsibility, self-discipline and nurturing the skills necessary for successful every day learning experiences.

    ABSENCES:

    ·         10 absences excused OR unexcused are allowed PER CLASS.

    ·         After 10 absences students are required to do credit recovery

    ·         Credit recovery is at teachers discretion and student is responsible for speaking with individuals teachers to make this up

    EXCUSES:

    Excused absences include:

    ·         Parent note stating injury or illness

    ·         Doctor note

    ·         Dentist note

    ·         Counseling appointment/ personal appointment/ etc.

    ·         Court appointment

    ·         Death in family

    Excuses must be turned in and/or email to Ms. Wade ( shanis.wade@cms.k12.nc.us ), in the attendance office within 5 days of an absence. Documentation is required by CMS to excuse an absence. Parent notes should include parent signature and phone number as well.  Please make sure student full name, ID number, and date of absence are all included on the excuse note/ form.

     All EXCUSED absence note should be turned in to attendance or main office.  Students who have excused documentation and receive late pass are excused from this.

    Note: We do not need any documentation for unexcused absences. These include car troubles, traffic, family trips, weddings, vacation, etc. and will remain unexcused absences.

     TARDY POLICY:
    Students arriving late with no excuse before 7:15am will report straight to 1st block. Students will be marked unexcused late and can only have 3 before a referral is written.  Once they arrive on campus after 7:15am they need to report to the main office to sign in and will be marked unexcused absent. Students missing half a class with no excuse will be sent to ISS for the remainder of that period. 

    REFERRALS:

    • Written up for accumulating 3 Unexcused Late per class
    • Written up for every tardy after 3 as well
    • Student must do Academic Restitution for a tardy referral
    • Marked in system as (2L) Unexcused Late

    Excused Late:

    If a student is excused late and has a medical/dental appointment, court/counseling, etc…they can sign in at the attendance office for an excused pass to class.

     ISS:
    Students more than half of a class period late for an unexcused reason will report to ISS. If a student does not have their excused note at time of arrival they will be counted as unexcused late and after half of a class period late will also report to ISS. If a student is late in between class after the bell before 2nd, 3rd or 4th period and do not have a pass, they can be sent to Lockout.

     SIGNING IN WITHOUT SIGNING OUT:
    Students MUST sign out properly with documentation/or parent. Students who did not sign out properly that try to sign back in will be directed to an Administration.


    EARLY DISMISSAL: (no later than 1:45pm) NO EXCEPTIONS

    Early dismissals require:

    ·         Bring a hand written PARENT NOTE and send with student morning of leaving early

    Notes: MUST BE WRITTEN BY PARENT in order to be accepted and include student full name, ID number, and date of dismissal, parent's signature, and parent phone number.

    ·         Early dismissals without the following information may not be accepted. The rules apply to students age 18 years or older. They MUST have documentation to leave early and cannot sign themselves out.

    o   Bring a note by the attendance office between 6:45am-7:10am the morning of leaving early or during lunch to receive a pass to get out of class.

    o   If you drop note off in early dismissal box be sure to come back in between classes or at lunch to pick up your pass.

    o   Students will not have to stop back by attendance to sign out when they have provided documentation in advance. This is the preferred way for early dismissals as it minimizes not having to interrupt teachers during their instructional time.

    o   If you come to dismiss a student for an emergency or for illness please do so in between classes.

     SUSPENSIONS:

    When a student is suspended the counselor and all teachers are informed by the school. Students are responsible for all work missed on days they are suspended. If students are out for a long term suspension work can be left in the main office for students/ parents to pick up to ensure they don't fall too far behind on work.