TRUANCY POLICY/SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Because of Bonneville Junior High’s commitment to quality education, we are concerned when a student misses school for any reason. The mission of the Granite School District is to prepare every student for college, career and life in the 21^st century world. Students who are excessively late or absent from school are not able to accomplish their educational goals. Each term, the student’s citizenship grade will be no higher than “1” for one truancy absence and “0” for two or more truancy absences. Excessive absences and first period tardies will be referred to the school Truancy Tracker and may result in a court referral.

Be sure to check your weekly attendance summary on the Granite School District parent portal (https://www.graniteschools.org) to make sure all absences have been excused. You have TWO weeks from the date of the absence to submit an excuse note to the attendance office. After the two week period, the absence remains unexcused. Instructions on how to log into your school attendance/grades profile are listed on the website.

The three types of school absences are as follows:

1) Excused Absence (E) – Excused absences include the following: illness, medical emergencies, death of a family member or close friend, or family activity or travel, consistent with district/school policy with a note or phone call from the parent or guardian. A parent may excuse up to 7 full school days a year.

2) Unexcused Absences (A) – Unexcused absences are absences not authorized by state law or by school or district policy and are not excused, despite parental knowledge or consent.

3) Truancy Absence (U) – Truancy absences are absences that occur without school or parental approval. A teacher or administrator determines the consequences for a truancy absence (sluffing/cutting class).

ATTENDANCE POLICY/ALL DAY ABSENCES

To excuse an absence, parents/legal guardians must provide the school attendance office with a written note upon their student’s return to school. The note must be signed by the parent/legal guardian, have the date of the absence, state the reason for the absence, include the student’s first and last name and student ID number. If a note is not provided, the absence will be considered unexcused. You have two weeks from the day of the absence to bring an excuse note to the Attendance Office. After the two week period, the absence will remain unexcused. Medical notes will be accepted through the end of the quarter in which the absence occurred.

ATTENDANCE POLICY/CHECKING IN LATE or LEAVING EARLY

All students must check in at the Attendance Office if they arrive after 7:45 a.m. and when it is necessary to leave school early. All students must check in with a parent escort or have a written excuse note from their parent/legal guardian when checking in late. Written requests for street passes must be delivered to the Attendance Office before school and picked up between classes. Students may then show the street pass to their teacher and leave campus or meet their parent at the time specified on the written request. Written excuse notes must contain:

First and last name of student
Student ID number
Date and Time of check-in/early check out
Phone number where parent can be reached
Reason for being late/needing to leave early
Parent Signature

If a note requesting a street pass is not sent to school/delivered to the Attendance Office before first period, a parent/legal guardian must come IN to the office and personally sign his/her student out of school. A telephone call alone will not suffice and, for the safety of our students, identification will be required. Students will only be released to their parents/legal guardians or to those listed and authorized on the emergency contact card. Students will not be excused from class before parent/legal guardian’s identification is verified.

GRANITE SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY STATES

1. Seven or more days (or equivalent class periods) of excused absences within a school year are considered excessive and will require a doctor’s note to excuse subsequent absences.

2. After five or more days (or equivalent class periods) of unexcused absences within a school year, the school will mail the student/parents a Truancy Letter asking for the parent/legal guardian’s help with the student’s attendance and warning of consequences for further truancy. Please note: a student must be in attendance 4/7^th of a school day to receive credit for one full day.

3. After 10 days (or equivalent class periods) of unexcused absences within a school year, the school will mail the student and parent/legal guardian a Habitual Truancy/ Pre-Court Hearing Notice. The Habitual Truancy Notice requires the student and parent/legal guardian to appear at a Pre-Court hearing. Schools may assess a $48.00 truancy fine.

4. After 15 or more days (or equivalent class periods) of unexcused absences within a school year, student and parent/legal guardian will be mailed a Habitual Truancy Notice. Students in seventh through twelfth grades will be referred to the Third District Juvenile Court.

To read the district policy, click on the following link: Attendance Procedures – Spanish Attendance Procedures – English

IN ORDER TO BE EXCUSED, ALL STUDENTS MUST CHECK IN AND/OR OUT AT THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE.

Click Here for a Parent Excuse Note