ATTENDANCE

There is a direct relationship between academic achievement and attendance.

Tardiness and irregular attendance becomes part of a student’s permanent record. School recommendations are sought when former students apply for employment. Almost without exception, these forms request the attendance record of that individual. Each student should strive to have a good record. GAA considers it important to be punctual to school and to all classes.

EXCESSIVE ABSENCE

PK–12th grade students missing more than ten (10) unexcused days per semester will be referred to the academic standards committee. Students will receive a NC (no credit) grade for that particular class.  

ATTENDANCE POLICY

1.      Three (3) unexcused tardies equal one unexcused absence.

2.      Tardies due to late arrival of buses and pre- arranged medical appointments are excused tardies. A student who is tardy to a class may have his/her tardy excused at the discretion of the office staff or the teacher who detained the student making them late for his/her next class. Tardies will not be excused for loitering in the hall between classes. Students who are late arriving to school due to poor planning such as sleeping in, flat tires, and other car problems resulting from a lack of preventive car care maintenance will not have their tardy excused. Being more than 10 minutes late for class constitutes an absence.

3.      Absences may be excused for:

  • Sickness of the student (After 3rd day of absence, the student needs a doctor’s letter.)
  • Death in the immediate family (within family unit - grandparents, parents, siblings or first cousins)
  • Unavoidable medical or dental appointments; appointments are to be arranged for times outside of school hours whenever possible.

A parent or responsible party is expected to call the GAA Office as soon as possible and not later than the same day of a student’s unexpected absence for reasons described in item 3.

4.      All other requests for absences will be decided on an individual basis.

5.      Upon return to school after an absence, students must report to the GAA Office with a written excuse signed by a parent or doctor. This excuse is attached to the GAA EXCUSED ABSENCE REPORT form. The student receives the form, takes it to their teachers for signature of acknowledgement, and returns it to the GAA office. In addition, the student must make arrangements with their teachers to complete all assignments missed during their absence. This is the parent/student’s responsibility and not the teachers’. Make up time allowed is equal to time missed i.e. if a student is absent one day, he/she has one day to make up work and turn it in to the teachers.

6.      Parents requesting pre-arranged absences must submit the ARRANGED ABSENCE FORM to the principal or GAA Office no later than two (2) weeks before a planned absence. The teacher must be notified and any missing work should be completed before a pre-arranged absence. Pre-arranged absences should not be for more than 2 weeks while school is in session. Parents taking vacations during the school year can affect their child’s academic progress. This should be avoided so as not to jeopardize a student’s academic standing and the necessity to repeat a class or grade level.

7.      A $25.00 fee will be charged for each rescheduled semester exam for 7th and 8th grade and $50.00 for 9th through 12th grade.

EXCUSED EARLY PICK UP DISMISSAL

When parents pick up students early from school for medical appointments, reasons of illness, injury or other reasons for pick up prior to school dismissal; they must sign the student out in the school’s logbook at the GAA Office.

Please send a note with your elementary student the day prior to a scheduled medical appointment. When you pick up your child come to the office and we will send for them.

Junior high and high school students need to be instructed to meet parent at the GAA Office for parent pick up. Students need to bring their excuse notes to the GAA Office to attach to the GAA EXCUSED ABSENCE REPORT form so that all teachers may be made aware of the excused reason for the absence.

When the GAA Office calls a parent and makes arrangement for early pick up due to illness or injury; the child will be waiting in the sick room for the parent’s arrival.

For excused absences of one day or less, no “ARRANGED ABSENCE FORM” is needed.