Please note that the full attendance policy may also be found on pages 7-11 of the student handbook which is also located on this site.

ATTENDANCE

Education Law: The compulsory attendance law requires that all children in New York State between the ages of 6 and 16, in proper mental and physical condition, shall receive full time instruction every day that school is in regular session. The length of the Elba Central School day is as follows:

Grades K-12 7:40 a.m. – 3:10 p.m.

Legal Absence

Students may be legally absent from attendance for only the following reasons:

- personal illness

- illness or death in the family

- authorized visits to college

- course related job interviews, cooperative work programs and approved career exploration.

- military obligations

- medical appointments

- religious observances

- required court appearances

- weather conditions or impassable roads that prevent travel

- reasons approved by the NYS Commissioner of Education

These legal excused absences do require proper notification and/or verification. The absences, however, must still be counted as absences for the purposes of this policy. All work must be made-up and used for grading purposes at full value.

Illegal Absence

All other absences are illegal. These absences will also be counted for the purposes of this policy. If the absence is illegal, the teacher may deny the opportunity for the student to do make-up work. The teacher also has the right to assign alternative make-up work. Students who are illegally absent from school are also subject to disciplinary consequences outlined in the Student Discipline Code.

Excused Absences and/or Early Dismissals: Students are required to present to the health office a note signed by the person in parental relationship that explains the reason for their absence when they return to class following an absence. Students are required to present to the health office a note signed by the person in parental relationship prior to the early dismissal explaining the reason for release from class. If the absence is legally excused, the students will be given an opportunity to make up tests, homework or other missing assignments during activity period or other time at the convenience of the teacher. Students must make up missed work and are responsible for meeting with the teacher and setting an acceptable schedule for completing the assignments. Generally, the assignments should be made up within the timeframe for which they were absent. Failure to meet the agreed schedule will result in the teacher denying any further opportunity to make up the work.

Unexcused Absence

An unexcused absence shall be one that is illegal and/or in which the student has failed to provide the health office with a written note, signed by the person in parental relationship, that explains the reason for their absence when they return to class following an absence. An early dismissal would be unexcused if the reason for the dismissal is illegal and/or the student fails to present to the health office a note, signed by the person in parental relationship, prior to the early dismissal explaining the reason for release from class. Examples are vacations, babysitting, hunting, shopping, visiting relatives and friends and other such absences of a capricious or arbitrary nature. Any student with an unexcused absence from school is ineligible to participate in any after school curricular or extra-curricular activity, including rehearsals, practices and athletic events the day of the absence.

Excused Lateness

Excused lateness to school shall be one that the reason is legal and in which the student provides the health office a written note, signed by the person in parental relationship, that explains the reason for their lateness when they arrive at school. Students must check in the health office before going to class.

Excused lateness to class shall be one where the student provides a written hall pass signed by the teacher or staff member causing the lateness to the next class. The student will have three minutes from the time written on the pass to arrive in class.

Unexcused Lateness

Unexcused lateness to school is when the reason for being late is illegal or when the student fails to provide the health office a written note, signed by the person in parental relationship, that explains the reason for their lateness when they arrive at school. Students must check in at the health office before going to class. Examples of unexcused lateness are: parent didn’t get you up on time, car broke down, alarm clock didn’t go off and other such lateness of a capricious or arbitrary nature.

Unexcused lateness to class is when a secondary student cannot or does not provide a written hall pass signed by a teacher or staff member. The student is then listed for having one late pass; three late passes causes a secondary student to be assigned to detention. Any secondary student more than ten minutes late to class is assigned a cut class.