Attendance Procedures

1. Students are excused from school for: personal illness, illness of immediate family, death in the family, school sponsored trips authorized by board
policy, extreme weather conditions, religious observances, doctor appointments or other medical emergencies.

2. A student who is absent must provide the main office, within 3 days of his/her return to school, a written excuse signedby his/her doctor, parent or guardian. If a student does not bring such an excuse, the absence will be counted as unexcused. After a student has had 3 absences (3 days) per semester excused with a parent note, a doctor’s excuse will be required. Doctor’s excuses must also be submitted to the school office within 3 days of returning to school from the absence. The student will have two days beyond the number of days absent to make-up missed work without penalty. If                                          the time period expires and the work has not been turned in, the teacher will accept the work and may utilize a declining scale
of eight (8) points per day applied a after the work has been graded.

3. For perfect attendance purposes, a child in grades K-5 who checks in a after 11:15 or who checks out before 11:15 will be
counted absent for that day. Students must attend at least 1⁄2 the day on abbreviated school days for perfect attendance.

4. Parents wishing to pick up assignments for a child that is absent must call the school before 10 A.M. The work will then
be available for pick up a after school the same day.

Recommendation for dismissal from school by the school nurse, secretary, or principal.

Death in the immediate family. Documentation citing the relationship of the student to the deceased is required.

 Pre-approved school-related activities.

The definition of being tardy is as follows: any late check-in or early check-out resulting is missed class time. Students must be in their
classrooms when the tardy bell rings at 7:45 to be considered on time. If excessive absences, tardiness, or early checkouts become a problem,
parents will be sent a written notice, and if it continues, they may be required to attend campus court. Tardiness and early checkouts are
considered the same by the state of Tennessee and will have the same consequences.

1. Student drop-off should occur before 7:40 am so that students have sufficient time to walk to their classroom before the tardy bell rings.

2. Acceptable reasons for being tardy are: doctor or dental appointments (you must provide a note from the physician) or a late bus. Car trouble and
heavy traffic are not acceptable excuses for tardiness. Parents should sign-in late students at the office to receive a tardy slip before going to
class. 

3. After classes have begun, students will only be permitted to leave the school when a parent/guardian or a person designated by the parent, comes to the office to check-out the student. To ensure security, your driver’s license will be required. This policy is necessary for the safety and well-being of all school children. Parents are urged not to request permission for a child to leave school early except for dental or medical appointments and emergencies since
this does count as a tardy.

4. Students are not allowed to check-out while at a field trip location, unless it is an emergency and has been approved by school administration.

5. If tardiness becomes a problem for students who are out of zone, they may be required to transfer to the school for which they are zoned.

Please refer to the Bradley County Schools Attendance Policy for more information. The policy can be found at www.bradleyschools.org.
Attending school regularly has a significant, positive impact on your child’s academic success—from kindergarten through high
school. Even as he or she grows older and more independent, you play a key role in making sure your child gets to school safely and on time every day.

We realize some absences are unavoidable; however, students and families must adhere to the laws and guidelines of the state. We know
that when students miss too much school—regardless of the reason—it can cause them to fall behind academically. Absences can add up
quickly. Students are less likely to succeed academically if they miss 10% or more of instructional days over the course of the school
year. (This means missing about two days of school per month or about 18 days per year).

Tier 1: Prevention-Oriented Supports

a. The progressive truancy plan will be published annually to parents and students prior to the start of the school year.

b. Each school will be responsible for contacting the parent/guardian of a student
who accumulates 4 days of unexcused absences. If the student accumulates another unexcused absence after contact is made with the
parent/guardian, a referral to Tier 2 will be made and the Campus Court Mediation process will begin.

Tier 2: Campus Court Mediation

a. School personnel will schedule a meeting with the student, parent/guardian, relevant school personnel, and Juvenile Court Staff mediator;

b. During the meeting, the student, parent/guardian, school personnel, and Juvenile Court Staff Mediator will draft and sign an agreement. A
review date will be set for each agreement. The agreement will include, but will not be limited to:
i. Attendance expectations;
ii. Penalties for additional absences;
iii. Any additional expectations determined necessary by meeting members; and/or

iv. If necessary, referral of the child to counseling, community-based services, or other in-school or
out-of-school services aimed at addressing the student's attendance problems.

c. A report of the meeting will be drafted and maintained in the Campus Court system. The report will include the basis for the
student’s absences provided by the parent, as well as a report from the school concerning the student’s absences.

d. A review date will be set for each Tier 2 case.

Tier 3: Campus Court Review and Services

a. If following the Tier 2 process, a student accumulates one or more unexcused absences, a review meeting
will be scheduled with the student, parent/guardian, relevant school personnel, and the Juvenile Court Staff mediator.

b. The mediator may recommend any services deemed necessary by the mediator.

c. The student may be referred to the “Behavior Unit” for a service assessment.

d. Further absences or non-compliance will result in a Juvenile Court petition for truancy pursuant to T.C.A. §49-6-3009 through Bradley County
Juvenile Court.

If Tier 2 or Tier 3 is unsuccessful with a student and the school can document that the student's parent/guardian is unwilling to cooperate with
the truancy intervention plan, then a referral may be made to Bradley County Juvenile Court without first having to implement subsequent
intervention tiers, if any, pursuant to T.C.A. §49-6- 3009(f)(1-2). Evidence that a
parent/guardian is unwilling to cooperate can include, but is not limited to, a parent/guardian's failure or refusal, on multiple
occasions, to attend meetings scheduled for Tier 2 or 3 interventions, return telephone
calls, attend follow-up meetings, enter into an attendance agreement, or actively participate in any of the tiers of the truancy intervention plan.

School principals shall provide students with one-day excused absence prior to the
deployment of and a one-day excused absence upon the return of a parent or guardian serving
active military service. Principals shall also allow up to ten (10) days excused cumulative absences
per year for students to visit a parent or guardian during a deployment cycle. The student shall
provide documentation to the school as proof of his/her parent’s/guardian’s deployment.
Students shall be permitted to make up schoolwork missed during these absences.