Absences and Tardiness

Please call the school office between prior to 9:00 am when your child is unable to come to school.  Requests for homework may be made before 9:00 am and can be picked up in the office after 3:15 pm unless other arrangements are made.  Parents are encouraged to provide medical documentation to verify reason for absence when possible per attendance policy.

Punctual attendance means being at school at the required time each morning.  A student who is frequently tardy interferes with the learning of classmates.  Being punctual is also a part of learning to be responsible.  The school day begins promptly at 8:14.   Instances of tardiness and partial hours of absence will be monitored and combined for an absence total.  Parents of students who are habitually tardy and/or absent will be notified by letter.

Attendance Policy/Procedures    

It is the belief of Dexter High School and the Dexter R-XI Board of Education that consistent attendance is vital for the success of our students.  Attendance has an independent academic value that cannot be measured by exams or other evaluations.  Any time a student misses a class, valuable learning opportunities are lost that cannot be completely regained through make-up work.  Consistent attendance by all students has a profound positive effect on district resources, which affects the quality of instruction and student achievement throughout the district.  These beliefs provide the rationale for the following attendance policy:

1. Consistent attendance is necessary in order to earn credit.  A student who misses a class more than six times in a semester will NOT earn credit for the course
2. A student who misses a class more than six times in a semester must successfully present an appeal to an attendance appeals committee in order to receive credit(s) for the class(es).
   1. The attendance appeals committee will consist of five staff members.
   2. At the end of each semester students who have accumulated a seventh absence in a class period will be notified of the loss of the course semester credit due to their violation of the attendance policy.  Students and their parent/guardian will receive the notification including information on the process for filing an appeal with the attendance appeals committee.
   3. The attendance committee will review written appeals and documentation and make a preliminary decision. The committee may choose among the following options:
      1. Credit not restored - credits necessary for graduation may be made up in summer school.
      2. Credit restored  - with no further action required by student
      3. Credit restored with conditions - examples include: Saturday School, no future violation of attention policy, mandatory summer school, or recovery through work option.
   4. Absences subsequent to the 7th absence will be a significant factor during an attendance appeal.
3. The high school office will attempt to contact a parent/ legal guardian every time a student is absent via School Messenger.
4. A parent/ legal guardian will be informed in writing when their child reaches four absences in any class.
5. Since the impairment to academics caused by an absence is not dependent upon the reason for the absence, there will be no categorical list of excused or unexcused absences.  Documentation will be kept on file in the office in case an appeal becomes necessary.  Documentation will be accepted for 7 days following the absence to be added to the student file.    A student should continue to provide notes from doctors or orthodontists, parent notes, or other documentation at the time of his/ her absences(s).
6. When a student is signed out in the office, by a parent, this will be considered verification for that absence.  It is not necessary to return the following day to provide additional documentation, unless the student wants the office to file documentation.
7. A student who misses school will be allowed as many days to make up work as were missed.
   1. It is the responsibility of the student to request make-up work.
   2. Alternative assignments may be provided as make up work, the assigned work may be more rigorous to account for the loss of intangible academic value due to absence.
8. A student who is suspended from school will not be given grades for dates of suspension.
9. If at any point it is determined that a student has a truancy issue, the juvenile office and the parent/ legal guardian may be notified.
10. A parent or legal-guardian should notify the office by 10:00 am on the day of an absence.  An automatic attendance call will go out to parents or legal guardians for all absences not verified by 10 am.  Please update phone numbers regularly so that the calls can be received.
11. A parent/ legal guardian must notify the office to verify an absence either prior to the absence or on the day the student returns.  Our office may be notified by phone, by parent signed note, parent email, or a doctor’s excuse. This allows the office to document that a parent/ legal guardian is aware of the absence should attendance appeals become necessary.
12. All students who were absent the previous day should report to the office prior to the bell to begin first period in order to submit any documentation of absence.  Email absence may be sent to, or faxed to 573-614-1032.  This documentation will be used if it is necessary to have an attendance appeal.
13. A student is not required to provide additional documentation if their parent or guardian signed them out through the office.