Excused Absences

Each excused absence shall be explained by telephone at the high school on the day of the absence.  Notes are not acceptable.

The excuse shall be submitted to the Attendance Office and maintained in the student's school record.  A child may not be excused for more than ten days in a school year under current Wisconsin State Statutes.

The following are considered excused absences:

1. Personal illness. Medical verification may be required.
2. Family emergencies or crises.
3. Attendance at a funeral.
4. Religious holidays or religious instruction.
5. Medical and legal appointments. Verification of appointments may be requir ed.
6. Severe inclement weather when District schools are not officially closed.
7. Attendance at special events of educational value, approved by the Principal or designee.
8. Family vacations, not to exceed a 10 day total (please note that the Extended Pull-out Notification Form is required and is from the Attendance Office) available
9. Home and In-School suspensions are excused absences, per Policy 5200
 

Unexcused Absences

Absences that exceed the number of days permitted by State Statutes, despite parent approval, are unexcused absences and will be pursued as truancy.  An exception to this rule is a documented major medical excuse.

The following are examples of unexcused absences:

1.  Rock Concerts
2.  Working
3.  Job Hunting
4.  Babysitting
5.  Car Trouble
6.  Missed the bus
7.  Oversleeping (This is a truancy)
8.  Running late 
9.  Homework
 

 Truant Absences

1. Truant absence is any absence of part or all of one or more days from school during which the School Attendance Officer, Principal or Teacher has not been notified of the legal cause of such absence by the parent or guardian of the absent student, and also means intermittent attendance carried on for the purpose of defeating the intent of Wisconsin State Statutes. 
    
2. "Habitual Truant" means a student who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for part or all of five or more days on which school is held during a school semester under Wisconsin State Statutes
    

 Make-Up Opportunities

A student must make up course work missed during an absence.

1. Students will be given the opportunity to make up work missed due to approved absences.
    
2. Individual consideration may be given to those students whose parents provide advance notice for unexcused absences due to family trips, etc. 
    
3. Although credit will not be given for class work missed during truant absences, students have the responsibility to understand, retain for future reference and use all materials presented in class during their absence. Students who are truant during an examination will not receive credit for that examination.
    

CITY ORDINANCE ON TRUANCY

The City of Greenfield hereby prohibits any student within its jurisdiction from being a habitual truant. The City of Greenfield Police Department is authorized to issue a citation to any such student found within its jurisdiction who is determined to be habitually truant. Any citation issued shall be returnable in the Municipal Court of the City of Greenfield. The citation shall state on its face that there is a "mandatory court appearance" and no forfeiture amount is to be written on the citation. 

Parents' Responsibility

A parent or guardian is to call the high school attendance office (281-6200 press: 1) on the day of absence. Office hours are 6:50 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. and voice mail is active all other times. Parents who have not called on the day of the absence only have 24 hours to clear up the absence.
 

Student Responsibility

Students are required to attend all their scheduled classes and study halls unless they have obtained parental permission and/or a pass approved by the building principal or designee. Students designated unexcused or truant must present the admit slip to each of his/her teachers.
 

Homework for Absent Student/Suspended Student

To the extent possible, homework that can be completed at home will be made available to the parents of the absent/suspended student within 24 to 48 hours of the absence/suspension. The suspending Administrator will notify parent(s) when and where the work will be available for pick-up. Parents requesting homework for excused absences may do so by contacting the Guidance Department. Because students may have as many as 7 different teachers, homework may not be available for those students absent 1 or 2 days or suspended home for 1 or 2 days. It shall be the student's responsibility to turn in all completed work to their teachers on the day that they return to school. Upon returning to school, the student will have a maximum of 5 school days to make up any quizzes or tests missed during the time of absence/suspension. Students either absent or suspended will be given full credit for all homework, quizzes and tests, provided that the timelines contained in this Administrative Procedure are met.
 

Participation in School Activities on Days of Absence

Students are not permitted to participate in after school or evening activities on the day of absence unless the teacher and assistant principal approve the participation after consultation with the parent concerning the circumstances.


Early Dismissal/In-School Illness

After reporting in the morning, students are not to leave the school unless they have received an early dismissal pass. Students who leave school without permission from the attendance office will be considered truant and an appropriate consequence will be given. In the event that you become ill at school, report to class first for a pass to the nurse's office.  All students must "sign out" in the attendance office before leaving the building for any reason.


Pre-Arranged Absence

Families should carefully evaluate the desirability of absenting students from school for vacation. As per Section 118.15 WI. State Statutes, students are permitted 10 excused absences per year. An absence form must be obtained by the student from the attendance office. This form should be completed one week in advance. Students will not be excused unless their class work is satisfactory.
 

TARDINESS

1. Students reporting tardy should go directly to the attendance office after entering by the main lobby doors. The student will receive appropriate consequences if the tardiness persists. REMEMBER that the 7:07 AM bell signals you to move to class that begins at 7:10 AM.
    
2. If a student, already in school, reports to a class tardy, the teacher will make a determination as to whether the tardy is for a valid or invalid reason.
    
3. Hall Sweeps - Students who refuse to arrive to clas on time or are found wandering the hallways will be assigned a "Hall Sweep" by administration or teachers.  The following consequesnces may be issued as a result of "Hall Sweeps"
   
   
   • First and Second Offense:  Student's Hall Sweep is recorded in the Attendance Office.
      
   • Third and Fourth Offense:  Student's Hall Sweep is recoreded in the Attendance Office and one detention will be assigned.
      
   • Fifth Offense:  School administrator will be notified.  One detention will be assigned and a parent will be contacted.
      
   • Sixth Offense:  School administrator will be notified.  One day of ELO will be assigned and a parent will be contacted.

Continued refusal to arrive to class on time may result in additional consequences up to and including suspension home.

Consequences For Tardiness:

First offense: Student will check in with attendance office.

Second offense: Same as first

Third offense: Same as first with the addition of one detention

Fourth offense:  Student will visit with administrator.

Fifth offense: Attendance record will be reviewed by an administrator. 
 

AGE OF MAJORITY

Even though a student is 18 years old, the student must follow all attendance and early dismissal procedures. An 18 year old student may phone in their own absence (provided parents have given permission to the school) as long as the absences do not become excessive.