St. John Lutheran School | Absenteeism and Truancy Policy
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Absenteeism and Truancy Policy

Illinois State Law requires the following policy information be posted on our school website:

ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES: K - 8

Regular attendance is an important part of being a successful student. Please make every attempt to schedule appointments outside the school day. It is disruptive to the whole classroom when students arrive late or leave during the school day. Please arrange family vacations to coincide with regular school holidays.

In accordance with state laws, all students are held to daily and punctual attendance. All absences must be excused in writing, email or by a phone call from the parent/guardian by 8:30 a.m. each day the child is absent.

Student absences from school for the following reasons will be considered excused absences:

  • Illness, including mental and behavioral health, of student
  • Medical and dental appointments that cannot be arranged during out-of-school hours
  • Death of relative or close friend
  • Accident or emergency
  • Religious holidays or other religious causes
  • Vacation period with parents/legal guardians
  • Absences for student competitions and performances shall be prearranged and permitted at the discretion of the principal.
  • Other situations beyond the control of the student
  • Such other circumstances that cause reasonable concern to the parent for the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of the student.

Please call the school by 8:30 each day your child is going to be absent or tardy. The phone call provides the school and you with a security check for your child. This will allow you to arrange to pick up the assignments your child will miss that day. Assignments for absent students will be available in the office beginning at 3:20 p.m. on the day your child is absent.

In the case of contagious diseases (strep throat, pink eye, chicken pox, etc.) parents should call the school office and inform us of the nature of the illness. (Refer to Illness Policy.)

Please make every attempt to schedule medical appointments outside the school day. If your child will be absent due to a medical appointment, please send a note to the teacher and the school office in advance and submit an excuse from the doctor upon your return. Please arrange family vacations to coincide with regular school holidays.

Students are not permitted to leave the school premises during school hours unless their parent, legal guardian, or any parent-authorized adult signs the student out in the school office.

Each quarter, the office staff reviews absences and contacts parents of students who have more than 5 absences in a quarter for any reason. All excessive absences will be reviewed and may result in a conference with the student, parents, teacher, and principal.

If a student has unexcused absences, the school will diagnose the causes or reasons for a student’s unexcused absences. The school will conduct interviews with the student, his or her parent or guardian, and any school officials who may have information about the reasons for the student’s attendance problem. If a student has unexcused absences, the school will hold parent conferences, recommend resources for student counseling, family counseling, and information about existing community services that are available to truant and chronically truant students and relevant to their needs.

Date of policy adoption: 12/6/2022