Attendance

Absence

Illegal/Unexcused Absence

If a student misses school, the absence is marked illegal or unexcused (this is marked with an IF-full day or I5-half day). Kindergarten students are considered unexcused (marked with UF-full or U5-half).

Excuses
A written excuse is necessary to change an absence from illegal to excused. Excuses must be turned in within 3 days from the absence for the illegal/unexcused mark to be changed. Below are the types of acceptable excuses. If a student reaches 3 illegal or unexcused absences it is Bentworth School District’s policy to file a citation with District Justice. It is our intent to work with parents/guardians to prevent this action. Parents/guardians---please check your child’s book bag frequently to be sure the notes you send are turned into the office. You are always welcome to call the school office or school nurse to check on dates of absence. Working together can make our students successful.

Parent Excused
Parents may write excuses for ten days of student absence. These are marked as EF (full day) or E5 (half day) showing “parent excused absence”.

Medical Excuse
If your child has an appointment at a doctor’s office, dental office, a vision exam, physical therapy, a chiropractor visit or counseling appointment etc., please get a written note from that agency. All of these are Medical Excuses. They are marked as MF (full day) and M5 (half day).

Medical excuses can be faxed, mailed or brought to school by you or your child.

Tardy

If your child is late coming to school (after 9:00am) they are considered “tardy”. A parent must walk the student into the office and sign in the Student Sign in Book (this is marked as TE). If an adult does not sign the student in at the office awritten parent note must be sent with them so that the “tardy” can be marked excused (marked as TE).

If no note is sent with the child or the child is not “signed in”, the tardy is marked as Unexcused (this is marked as TU.) Parents may write excuses for ten days of being tardy. After the tenth parent excused day of being tardy, only medical excuses will be accepted as legal excuses for tardiness.

Citations

Citations are filed with the Magistrate when a student has reached three illegal absences. Illegal absences are days that are not excused by a parent/guardian or days that are over the ten “parent written” excused days. (If you send a note for your children after you have reached the 10 parent excused days; the day will be marked IF with the word “note” in the comment section and will be an illegal absence.)