Attendance | Student Life

St. Augustine High School Attendance Policies

ALL ATTENDANCE FORMS:
Tardy Form
Early Release Form
All Day Absence Form
Pre Approved Absence Form

Attendance Clerk: Kelly Hunter
Contact: 904-547-8526

The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) and SAHS place the responsibility for regular school attendance on the student and parents. Any student who has been absent from school, upon return, shall bring the appropriate documentation within two (2) school days, including parent signature and phone number, stating the cause of his/her absence. Failure to bring such documentation shall result in an automatic unexcused absence. Excuse notes/documentation shall be submitted to the Attendance Clerk. All excuse notes/documentation must be authentic and genuine, fradulent or altered notes will not be accepted.

A student must be present for more than half of their instructional school day to participate in an extracurricular event after school or that evening. This includes practices, productions, athletic events, etc.

In order to participate in an event that is held on the weekend, a student must be present for more than half of their instructional school day on Friday (or the most recent school day if Friday is a student day off) prior to the weekend. This includes all extracurricular events/activities such as prom, dances, games, plays, etc.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

Students must be in school unless the absence has been excused for one of the reasons listed below. Excused absences include the following:

Personal illness.
Illness of an immediate family member.
Death in the family.
Religious holiday of the student’s religious faith.
Required court appearance or subpoena by a law enforcement agency.
Special events, including, but not limited to, important public functions, student conferences, student state/national competitions, administration-approved post-secondary educational institution visitation, as well as exceptional cases of family need. Students must obtain permission from the principal at least five (5) days in advance.
Scheduled doctor or dentist appointments. The parent or guardian must notify the school of the date and appointment time prior to the absence/release time.
Students having or suspected of having a communicable disease or infestation that can be transmitted are to be excluded from school and are not allowed to return until they no longer present a health hazard (Florida Statute 1003.22). Examples of communicable diseases and infestations include, but are not limited to, fleas, head lice, ringworm, impetigo, and scabies. Students are allowed a maximum of three (3) days excused absence for an infestation of head lice.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, the following:

Shopping trips
Pleasure trips
Suspension from school
Appointments without prior approval except in case of emergency
Truancy
Other avoidable absences

Any student who has been absent from school shall bring a note from a parent or guardian within forty-eight (48) hours of returning to school stating the cause of the absence. Failure to bring in a note will result in an automatic unexcused absence. However, the fact that the student brings in a note does not require the school administration to excuse the absence. The principal or designee will decide whether the absence meets the criteria for an excused absence, and that decision will be final. The administration may request additional documentation, such as a doctor’s note. The excuse must state specific dates of absence, and must be signed by the treating, licensed physician. After fifteen (15) days of absence, whether excused or unexcused, a student must present verification from a licensed doctor for all subsequent absences due to illness. Special circumstances may justify a review by the School District’s Health Services personnel.

Students who accumulate 15 or more unexcused absences during the school year, or 10 tardies within the 2^nd semester, will not be eligible to purchase tickets or participate in privileged school events/activities such as *Homecoming, Prom, Grad Bash, Skit Night, Talent Show, etc. (* not an exhaustive list of activities).

MAKE-UP WORK

It is the responsibility of the student to make up all work missed due to absence from school. Students may request work from their teachers while they are absent via e-mail (a teacher directory is available on the school website) or may contact the teachers directly upon the student’s return to school. The time available for a student to complete the make-up work is the number of class sessions missed (in other words, if a student misses three class sessions, the student must submit the make-up work at the beginning of the fourth class session after the student’s return). Any work that was due on the day of the absence is due on the day of the return. Students whose absences are excused are permitted the opportunity to receive full credit for make-up work. Students whose absences are unexcused are permitted the opportunity to receive a miminum of 50% credit for classwork and homework. Quizzes and tests are made up for 100% credit.

TARDY POLICY

At SAHS, students are expected to be on time for class. Those not in their classrooms when the bell rings at the beginning of the period are considered tardy to class. Six (6) tardies to a class during the quarter will result in a referral to the Deans’ Office. Students who arrive to class twenty (20) or more minutes late will be marked absent for that class.

Students arriving on campus after 9:35 AM must check in with the Attendance Clerk prior to reporting to class.

TRUANCY

A student may be deemed truant after (i) five (5) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a calendar month, or (ii) ten (10) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a 90-calendar-day period.

Students are subject to the following actions for preventing and correcting truancy:

When a student may be exhibiting a pattern of non-attendance, the principal shall refer the student to the school’s attendance team to determine if a pattern of truancy is developing.
The school’s attendance team shall meet with the student and parent or guardian to determine if a pattern of truancy is developing and to identify and implement remedi
If the school-based efforts to resolve non-attendance are unsuccessful, the student shall be referred to the Superintendent or his designee for truancy.
If no valid reason is found for the student’s absences, the Superintendent or his designee may send the parent or guardian written notice requiring enrollment or attendance within three (3) days after the date of the no
If the student does not return to school after the three (3) day notice, the Superintendent or his designee may refer the student and the parent or guardian to truancy court before the Circuit Court of Johns County. A criminal prosecution for truancy may also be initiated against the parent/guardian.

CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES

A note signed by a parent/guardian is required for early dismissal. This includes students who drive themselves. Your student should take the note to the Attendance Clerk prior to the start of the school day. A pass for dismissal will be given to the student at that time. He/she can then meet you in the front office at the designated time to be signed out.

The cutoff time for early checkouts is 3:15 PM; Wednesday it is 2:15 PM. During testing, checkouts will be restricted to avoid disrupting the educational setting. Please plan accordingly.

Once a student arrives to the SAHS campus, he/she must see the Attendance clerk to obtain proper authorization to leave the school grounds. The parents must sign the student out of school in the front office upon dismissal from class and before leaving campus. Students may not leave campus with anyone other than the designated parent/guardian or person authorized in the database.

When students are ill, they should report to the clinic. If it is necessary for them to be picked up, the call will come from the school nurse.

NOTE: Students must present acceptable documentation to the Attendance Clerk to determine whether an absence, including a check-out, is excused or unexcused. This documentation must be provided within two (2) school days upon returning to school.

ILLNESS IN SCHOOL

A student with a temperature above normal or who is exhibiting other signs of illness shall be evaluated by the school nurse and sent home. The specific guidelines and recommendations for exclusion from school due to illness are referenced in each of the St. Johns County School District’s Health Manuals, on file at each school.

RELEASING STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL

School staff shall definitively establish the identity and authority of any person who requests the release of a student from school prior to regularly-scheduled dismissal. If the person requesting the release of the student is a person other than a parent or guardian listed on the emergency contact form, the principal or teacher concerned shall not release the student without the consent of the parent or guardian who is listed on the emergency contact form. It is the responsibility of the enrolling parent or guardian at the time of registration, to make sure the emergency contact card is accurate and complete. If a non-enrolling parent contends that he or she has been improperly omitted from the card, it is that parent’s responsibility to resolve the issue with the enrolling parent or seek a court order if the parties cannot resolve the issue.

GRANTING PERMISSION TO LEAVE SCHOOL GROUNDS

No student shall be sent off the school grounds to perform an errand or to act as a messenger except with the approval of the principal, provided that approval shall be granted only for urgent and necessary school business and with the consent of the student’s parent or guardian.

EXEMPTION FROM REGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

A student of compulsory attendance age shall be required to attend school as provided by the law unless issued an exemption certificate by the Superintendent. Students who have reached age 16 must file a “Declaration of Intent to Terminate School Enrollment” if they wish to discontinue their education. Upon filing the intent, the student must allow the school to conduct an “Exit Interview” and “Exit Survey” to determine the reasons for the decision to terminate school enrollment and the actions that could be taken to prevent termination.