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Attendance Policies & Procedures
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339.020 DUTY TO SEND CHILDREN TO SCHOOL
Except as provided in ORS 339.030, every person having control of any child between the ages of 7 and 18 years who has not completed the 12th grade is required to send such child to and maintain such child in regular attendance at a public full-time school during the entire school year.
Oregon State Law requires school districts to drop a student from enrollment if at any point the student is absence (unexcused /excused) for 10 consecutive school days during a school year. The student can be re-enrolled at parent request to the current school with the proper registration materials.
EXEMPTIONS FROM COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
1. In the following cases, children shall not be required to attend full-time public schools:
• Children being taught in a private or parochial school in the courses of study usually taught in grades 1 – 12 in the public schools and in attendance for a period equivalent to that required of children attending public schools during the school year.
• Children proving to the satisfaction of the district school board that they have acquired equivalent knowledge to that acquired in the courses of study taught in grades 1 – 12.
• Children being taught for a period equivalent to that required of children attending public schools by a private teacher the courses of study usually taught in grades 1 – 12.
• Children being educated in the children’s home by a parent or legal guardian.
• Children excluded from attendance as provided by law.
2. The State Board of Education by rule shall establish procedures whereby, on a semiannual basis, an exemption from compulsory attendance may be granted to the parent or legal guardian of any child 16 or 17 years of age who is lawfully employed full time, lawfully employed part-time and enrolled in school, a community college or an alternative education programs defined in ORS 336.615. An exemption also may be granted to any child who is an emancipated minor or who has initiated the procedure for emancipation under ORS 419B.550 to 410B.558.
PHILOSOPHY
Attendance policies and procedures are based upon Oregon State Law and upon the premise that excessive absence is detrimental to the educational process. Our commitment to the dignity and worth of the individual begins with an effort to have each student in class regularly. This effort is shared by the student, who has the primary responsibility to attend every class period each day, the staff members, who work together to monitor and encourage regular attendance, and the parents, who are legally accountable to uphold the compulsory attendance law. When irregular attendance patterns develop, a staff member (teacher, counselor, attendance secretary or vice principal) initiates communication with the student and parents.
ABSENCES
EXCUSED:
• For illness of the student or illness of a family member
• For emergencies
• For prearranged absence (if approved) i.e., medical, dental, orthodontic appointments, college visits
EXCUSING ABSENCES:
• Students must have a parent phone the attendance office at 503-534-2329.
• The student is responsible to make up all missed work.
• Credit is given for work made up.
• Absences must be cleared within 24 hours.
• In the case of an extended excused absence, incompletes may be given.
• Students with excessive excused absences may be required to submit a physician’s statement to the school for verification.ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS (EXCUSED)
Parents are urged to convince their children that although good attendance is important, the student that arrives at school ill may be endangering his/her own health and that of other students. Parents can help the school staff by carrying out the following program at home:
• Check on the health of students each morning before they leave for school and keep students home if they are seriously ill.
• Make careful plans for emergency care if parents are to be away from home.
• Be prepared to provide transportation home for students who become ill at school. The school can provide such transportation only in unusual emergencies.
• Many teachers now post homework on the high school website. You can also contact teachers by e-mail through this site. If homework is not available there or if you do not have internet access, you may request
homework assignments through the Attendance Office if your student has missed three consecutive days of school. Please expect 24 hours for the assignments to be collected before you come to pick them up.
• Students are allowed the equal amount of time missed from school to make-up any missing work from an excused absence. For example, 2 days missed for an excused absence = 2 days to make-up any missing
work from these absences. If a student becomes ill or injured at school, the school contacts the parent through the information provided on the student registration form. It is especially important, therefore, that any changes in the family address or emergency phone number should be reported at once to the school. Students are also requested to list the name, address and telephone number of a family physician.
UNEXCUSED ABSENCE:
• Parents/Guardians will be notified of any unexcused absences by our automated system (by email and phone).
• Unexcused absences: Will be handled on an individual basis. Students will be given detention for an unexcused absence.
• When a student has a continued attendance problem a meeting may be held with the parents to discuss this issue, and the student may be placed on an attendance contract, and Saturday School may be assigned.
• If the student does not follow the contract an options conference may be held to discuss an alternative
educational setting.
OTHER CONSEQUENCES FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES:
• Class work or activities missed due to unexcused absences may not be made up for credit.
• Skip Days: Lake Oswego High School DOES NOT condone “Senior Skip Days.” Student absences for an unauthorized “Skip Day” will be considered Unexcused with NO opportunity to make-up missed work.