Attendance

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.**

A fully automated telephone system is available for parents to report a student’s absence. Please adhere to the following procedure:

· Call 827-BJHS (827-2547) Before 9:30 a.m.

You will hear: “Welcome to the Bloomington Junior High School Knightline. To report an absence, select “1234.”

· Enter your 4-digit selection: “1234"

You will hear: “Thank you for calling the Bloomington Junior High School Knightline. Please enter “1000" and leave today’s date, your student’s name, reason for absence or tardy, and a number where you can be reached in case we have questions.”

The system will say: “Please enter the extension number.”

· Enter your 4-digit selection: “1000"

The system will say: “Begin speaking at the tone. Press the pound key(#) when finished.”

· State: Today’s date, your student’s name, reason for absence or tardy, and a number where you can be reached.

· Press the (*) and hang up.

An addition to the attendance system is automated calling to the homes of absent students. If a message is not received on the Knightline 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. You may call the Knightline at any time.

Please contact the Knightline with all absences, even if you have notified your student’s teacher. We believe that this system will improve the accuracy and efficiency of our attendance record keeping and will provice better communication between home and school about attendance.

If you encounter difficulty with the system, please call 827-0086, extension 224.

EXCUSED ABSENCES:

Excused absence allow make-up privileges with full credit. The following reasons are considered excused:

· Illness -- Please note: a student reported ill, and seen about the community, will be declared unexcused or truant.

· Illness or death in the student’s family.

· Home emergency.

· Early dismissal appointments during the day. Please follow these steps to dismiss a student early:

a) Special request for early dismissal appointments must be made in writing by the parent/guardian.

b) The note should be presented to the attendance office 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, and sign-in upon their return. An entry slip will be issued at that time.

** Failure to follow the above procedure will result in the absence being classified as unexcused/truant. The assistant principals reserve the right to call the dentist or doctor to confirm appointments.

· Court appearances.

· Religious holidays.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES:

Unexcused absences are absences not mentioned in the preceding groups. Absences (for any reason) that can normally be done outside of school hours will be unapproved. Work must be made-up for all unapproved absences, and is the student’s responsibility. The following are examples of unapproved absences:

· Truancy from school or class.

· Leaving school without permission from the school nurse or other school official.

· Shopping, baby-sitting, being out of town, extending vacations without notifying the office.

· Leaving the class without permission from the teacher.

· Out-of-school suspension.