Attendance Policy Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do I need to send a note to school when my student was absent?  I called the school to say he/she would be absent.

A. In order for the absence to be excused, the office must receive written verification.  Occasionally, the Ohio Dept. of Education will audit our attendance records and they will look for written documentation of all excused absences.  The phone call notifying the school on the day of the absence is related to the National Missing Children’s Assistance Act.  If you do not call the school on the day of your student’s absence, we will attempt to contact you by phone or postcard.

Q.  Can a student fail for missing too many classes?

A. Our policy for class absences states that students accruing more than 3.5 absences in a quarter (9 weeks), more than 7 absences in a semester (18 weeks), and/or more than 14 absences in a year (36 weeks) may receive no credit for the grading term even though the absences were excused by the parent.  Absences considered school excused, such as appointments with a doctor, dentist, orthodontist, etc and court appearances, are NOT counted in this total.

Q.  Can a student be absent for “1/2 day”?

A.  Yes, we do track partial day absences.  Students missing more than 90 minutes of the school day will be considered absent for “1/2 day.”

Q. How do I arrange for a planned absence, such as a vacation or surgery?

A. We have a new procedure for planning for pre-arranged absences.  At least five days before the planned absence, students must bring a note from their parent/guardian explaining the absence.  The student will be given a form to be completed by each teacher.  After all of the student’s teachers have signed the form, it must be returned to the office.  An administrator will grant or deny the pre-arranged absence.  If the pre-arranged absence is denied, the administrator will contact the parent/guardian.  If the absence is medical related, a note from the health care provider will be required upon the student’s return to school.

Q.  I would like to give my student permission to miss school for the purpose of hunting.  What is the school’s policy on this?

A. Absences during hunting season will be treated in the same manner as any other planned or pre-arranged absence.  Please see the previous question for details on how to arrange a planned absence.

Q. Who is the Attendance Officer and what does he do?

A.  Mr. Rick Stevens joined the staff of the Pickaway Educational Service Center in September 2001.  Mr. Stevens serves as the Attendance Officer for Logan Elm, Teays Valley and Westfall schools.  The schools contact Mr. Stevens whenever they are concerned about a student’s attendance record.  Mr. Stevens will investigate the situation and may contact the student and/or parent.  If the student has violated any school attendance law, Mr. Stevens may file charges on the student and/or the parent/guardian.  Mr. Stevens is currently working with the schools and the Pickaway County Juvenile Court to create a county-wide attendance policy.

Q.  What should I do in order to have my child dismissed early from school?

A.  If you are aware of the need for an early dismissal, please send a note to school on the day of the early dismissal.  If an emergency arises and your student needs to leave school, you may call the school at 474-7503.  Please note: Only the persons listed on the student’s Emergency Medical Form as Residential Parent/Guardian and Emergency Contact will be allowed to request an early dismissal and/or pick up the student.