About the Jr/Sr High School

Attendance Policy

Philosophy

Mayfield Central School District recognizes that student attendance is a major component of student success. A student’s presence in the classroom allows for meaningful academic learning and interaction. To maximize a student’s success, it is their responsibility to be in attendance daily.

This philosophy is based on the following:

1. Regular attendance is a necessary part of a student’s educational program
2. The educational program requires a continuity of instruction and active class participation
3. Regular attendance is a major component of academic success, increases student achievement and reduces the dropout rate
4. Regular attendance prepares students with positive work habits for success after high school

To promote the value of good attendance as a part of student success, a step by step process will be followed that includes different strategies to increase student attendance and set clear guidelines for every stakeholder.

Attendance Policy Guidelines and team member responsibilities:

At the start of each school year the principal will mail and provide electronic copies of the school’s attendance policy for each student and their parent to be signed by the student and parent/guardian, ensuring their understanding of such policy.

The principal will follow up and collect each signed policy to be held in the student’s permanent school file.

Teachers will continue to take attendance during each class period through the eSchoolData management system to ensure accuracy and maintenance of attendance records.

Any staff contact with a student and/or their parent regarding attendance will be noted in the student’s individual phone journal in their eSchoolData student profile.

After three class absences, the classroom teacher will have a conversation with the student stating that the student’s course grade is being impacted negatively. This will be recorded in the student’s eSchoolData phone journal.

After five class absences, the student’s school counselor will contact parents and arrange for a conference with the student, parent, teacher, school counselor and school administrator to discuss attendance issues, and set up a contract with strategies to improve attendance. This meeting will be documented by the school counselor in the student’s phone journal.

Any students with more than ten absences for the year will be placed on a Student Attendance Review Team (SART) Watch List to be monitored by the Support Team Staff. Staff mentors (school counselor, social worker, school psychologists and/or school nurse) will be assigned to chronic or habitual offenders as a case manager.

Excused absences are as follows: school sponsored events (field trip, band lesson, sporting event, scheduled counseling, and testing), college visits, student hospitalization, home tutoring, and doctor’s appointments. If a student has a college visit, hospitalization, or a doctor’s appointment, they must provide a note on the official letterhead from the college or doctor’s office. Special circumstances must be discussed with the administration. Excused absences will not affect a student’s term grade.

Students are expected to be in attendance for the entirety of the school instructional day. Students who have a study hall 1st period are required to arrive at school on time. Students who leave school grounds for reasons other than the excused absences stated above will be subject to disciplinary action if the absence is considered to be unexcused.