Attendance                                                                    Attendance Phone: 827-2547

Attendance and participation in class are always necessary for success.  Unlike elementary school, there are important procedures a parent must follow prior to a student’s absence.  Following this procedure will ensure your student’s absence being excused.

**Contacting the teacher will not ensure your student’s excused absence.**
The following absence information is outlined in our BJHS Handbook:

Attendance and participation in class is necessary for success. Illinois School Code, Article 26-1, requires those who have custody or control of any child between the ages of 7 and 16 years to cause such child to attend some public school in the district wherein the child resides the entire time it is in session during the regular school term. Attending each class session is required and attendance is reported each period. Absences are classified in the following types: 1. Excused absences. 2. Anticipated absences. 3. Official absences. 4. Unexcused absences.

REPORTING ABSENCES (827-BJHS) To access the BJHS Attendance Line: 1. Call 827-BJHS (827-2547) before 9:30 a.m. You will hear: "Thank you for calling the Bloomington Public Schools Attendance Hotline. For Bloomington High School, press 1. For Bloomington Junior High School, press 2." 2. Enter number 2 for your selection. You will hear: Thank you for calling the Bloomington Junior High School Attendance Hotline. 3. State today’s date, your student’s name, reason for absence or tardy, and a number where you can be reached. 4. Hang up when you are finished. If a message is not received on the Attendance Hotline from a parent or guardian by 9:30 a.m., the system will call home phone numbers to notify you that your student was marked absent. If you are called, please call 827-BJHS with the reason for the absence. The system will continue calling a phone number until a connection is made. Please contact the Attendance Hotline with all absences, even if you have notified your student’s teacher(s). We believe that this system will improve the accuracy and efficiency of our attendance records and will provide better communication between home and school. If you encounter difficulty with the system, please call 827-0086, extension 224. It will not be necessary to notify the school each day during a long-term illness or hospitalization. A weekly report to the assistant principal and/or the counselor is required to receive instructions for make-up work and other information. Students should report directly to class upon returning to school. Students who are not approved will immediately be sent to the assistant principal’s office. Students will return to class with a disposition on preceding day(s).

EXCUSED ABSENCES (827-BJHS) Excused absences include make-up privileges with full credit, with a reasonable amount of help from teachers. This category includes the following: 1. Illness of the student. However, a student reported absent and seen about the community, after being reported ill, will be declared unexcused. 2. Illness or death in the student’s family. 3. Home emergency. 4. Early dismissal-appointments during the day. a) Special request for early dismissal such as dentist or doctor appointments should be made in writing by the parents or legal guardian(s). b) This note should be presented to the assistant principal before first period. c) A dismissal slip will be issued allowing the student to leave class at the appointed time. Students must check-out at the Main Office before leaving. d) If a student returns to the building after checking out, he/she MUST CHECK IN TO THE RECEPTION AREA and get an entry slip. e) Failure to follow the above procedure will result in the absence being classified as unapproved. f) The Assistant Principals may confirm appointments by calling the dentist or doctor. 5. Court appearances. 6. Religious holidays. Any requests for make-up work should be made 24 hours in advance and may be picked-up Associate Principal’s secretary after 2:00 p.m. the following day.

ANTICIPATED ABSENCES (827-BJHS) Anticipated absences should be reported to the Office. An anticipated absence form with the parent's note attached will be provided to the teachers in advance of the absence and returned to the office at least one day prior to the absence. Teachers will provide assignments for the time the student will be absent. It is the student's responsibility to complete required work either before or after the anticipated absence.

OFFICIAL ABSENCES Arrangements for make-up work shall be made in advance of the absence if a student is absent from school as a member of a team, organization, or other representation of the school.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES Unexcused absences will be absences not mentioned in the preceding groups. Work must be made-up for all unapproved absences, and it is the student's responsibility to gather the work and turn it in to their teacher(s). The following are listed as examples of unapproved absences: 1. Truancy from school or class. 2. Leaving school without permission from the school nurse or any other school official. 3. Shopping, baby-sitting, being out of town, extending vacations without permission. 4. Leaving class without permission from the teacher. 5. Suspension (out of school).