Handbook

Regular school attendance is required by law and is critical to success at school. Frequent absence is one of the main causes of poor academic performance in school. Work or classroom experiences missed in school can never truly be made up in a complete manner because the value of in-class activities and discussion is missed forever.

Attendance patterns are set when students are young.

Excused Absences

Whenever possible, doctor and dentist appointments should be scheduled outside of school hours. The only student absences considered excused are: illness, family emergencies, medical, dental, or other valid professional appointments, and pre-approved school activities. Students are excused for two hours for routine medical and dental appointments. Students may be asked to confirm a professional appointment with a verification slip from the office of professional service. Please report absences due to illness by telephoning the Attendance Office at 715-359- 0511, ext. 3404. This extension has voicemail twenty-four hours a day. If no message is left, students are required to report to the Attendance Office with a parent excuse note prior to 7:40 a.m. on the first day of their return to school. A doctor’s excuse may be requested if a student has repeated absences. Note: Administration reserves the right to make all final attendance decisions.

In cases where it is necessary to leave school early, the student must report to the office for a “Permission to Leave School” slip. Early dismissals will be granted only if:

• A student has written or verbal permission from a parent.
• The student has a valid reason for leaving which is acceptable to the school.
• The student has requested a “Permit to Leave School” before 7:35 a.m.

Students may be excused for such activities as deer hunting, church retreats, college visits, and family vacations when the Permit to Leave School Anticipated Absence form has been signed by a parent, a student’s teachers, and returned to the attendance office prior to the absence. Parents may excuse their children for up to 10 days of school under the family leave regulations. Notification of such absence must be made 24 hours in advance of the requested absence.

Leaving School

Upon arrival to school, all students are to remain in the school building or on school grounds for the entire day. According to the closed campus policy, lunch hour releases are not authorized. Leaving school grounds or being outside of the building during unauthorized times is considered unexcused. All students leaving the building must sign out of the Main Office at the time they leave.

Illness at School

In the case of an illness at school, the student is to get a hallway pass from their teacher to go to the health office. A student should not go to the health aide between classes except in an emergency. The health aide will make every effort to contact the parents for instructions regarding procedures they wish the school to follow.

Remember that prior permission is needed for a student to leave the building. If a student becomes ill during school hours, they should report to the health aide. If necessary, the health aide will call the parent. Students are not to contact parents for pick up until authorization from the school health aide has been given.

Fieldtrip Attendance

All incentive and/or field trip attendance may not be allowed if all homework is not turned in within 1-2 weeks prior to the trip date. All students must be in good academic and behavioral standing. It is the discretion of the administration to make all final decisions.

Excused Absences

Unexcused absences include oversleeping, missing the bus, personal business, car problems, “skipping class”, or leaving school without a “Permit to Leave School” form from the school health aide or the office. Three or more unexcused absences within a semester may result in truancy counseling abatement and/or a municipal citation. The fifth unexcused absence may result in a Marathon County court referral.