Good Attendance Means Quality Learning

The Blue Springs School District recognizes that the best learning opportunity for a student is classroom interaction with the teacher and other students. That makes attendance very important. When a students misses school, regardless of the reason, valuable experiences have been missed. Good attendance also helps students of all ages learn the value of attendance and punctuality. It helps students in the maturation process as they learn responsibility for their actions. Good attendance affects the student's behavior, attitude, learning, and overall school success. Being at school is the student's job. It is the district's hope that parents will support and encourage good attendance. Parents are a key ingredient in this process. We encourage parents to help by scheduling appointments, vacations, outings, etc. outside the school day. Each school keeps students/parents informed about absences. Upon the sixth absence and again on the tenth absence, the school will notify the student's parents by letter.

District Absentee Policy (5.51.3)

1.  A parent should notify their student's school attendance office by phone for each day of a student's absence.

2.  If the school is not notified by the parent, the school will initiate contact with the parent.  Students who return to school without being excused by their parent will maintain an unexcused absence until the parent provides appropriate verification of the absence.

3.  Absences will be classified as excused or unexcused by the school district:

    a.  Excused Absence - an excused absence will include any absence due to legitimate medical issues, religious observances and those absences related to a student's disability.  With any planned, excused absence, it is recommended that the parents contact the school prior to the planned absence and make advanced arrangements for class work.  All work missed due to an excused absence may be made up according to the guidelines in the school's student handbook.

    b.  Unexcused Absence - Student not excused from school by a parent may be considered truant.  Students must have parental consent to leave school during the school day, and appropriately check out of school through the school's attendance office.  Students choosing not to follow this procedure will be considered unexcused.  Work may not be made up due to unexcused absence.  Parents/students who violate the state compulsory attendance law will be referred to the appropriate authorities.

4.  To keep parents aware of their student's absences, the school will attempt to notify the parent by letter when the student's absence in any class reaches 10 days.  Appropriate notification to a jparent or a conference may be initiated to address attendance issues.

5.  Excessive absences could result in a student's loss of academic credit after the student has been afforded a full due process hearing before the board of education.