UNEXCUSED ABSENCE vs. TARDY EXPLANATION

Students that arrive at school prior to 8:30 a.m. without a valid reason will be considered tardy. 

Fulton High School’s tardy policy is as follows: All tardy offenses will be treated equally.  Students late to school and class at any time during the school day will be considered tardy.  This includes students who are late to class following lunch.  The handbook states above: Anyone entering class after the bell has rung, without a written admit slip will be subject to disciplinary action. This is the only time that a tardy should be reported to the office.  Teachers may make their own rules regarding their classroom (e.g.--In your seat before the bell rings.), but these offenses would be treated as teacher classroom discipline problems.

1^st offense – verbal warning; 2^nd offense – one detention; 3^rd offense – three detentions; 4^th, 5^th and 6^th offenses – after school assignment; 7^th offense – 1 day out of school suspension; 8^th offense – 2 days out of school suspension

Students that arrive after 8:30 a.m. without a valid cause will be considered to have an unexcused absence. 

Parental contact will be made in all circumstances.  Any absence which is not within the school board definition of an excused absence will be considered unexcused, even if parental permission is received.  Examples of unexcused absences include:  oversleeping, obtaining a drivers license, job interviews, running errands, senior pictures, shopping trips, haircuts, etc. 

Other Unexcused absences

Students that do not come to school, whose parents don’t contact us, who arrive late (after 8:30 a.m.) without a valid reason or who leave school without permission will be considered unexcused.  They will receive NO credit for the time missed.

These students will be disciplined in the following manner:

            1^st offense:  After School Assignment (ASA) (These are typically held on

Thursday evenings from 3:20 to 5:20.  A student that does not serve an ASA will be issued a three day out of school suspension)

            2^nd offense:  After School Assignment

            3^rd offense:  After School Assignment and parental contact

            4^th offense:  After School Assignment and certified letter

            5^th and subsequent offenses:  Out of School Suspension; possible

recommendation to the Board of Education for expulsion.

Suspensions

A student who is suspended from school is not to receive credit for any in class work completed during the suspension.  Students are allowed to make up other work.   Students are verbally told this information and are given several suggestions as to how they can receive their missing assignments.

Students who are suspended have the opportunity to complete their class work while they are out of school.  In general, the school will not collect assignments for the student.  This burden will be placed upon the student.  All work should be turned in to the teachers on the day of the student's return.  All tests and quizzes must be taken on the day a student returns unless special arrangements are made with the principal.  In general, students receive appropriate credit for completed work.