ATTENDANCE POLICY
Our attendance policy is based on Florida state law. There are many contributing factors towards academic achievement, not the least of which is regular school attendance. Therefore, it is the expectation that all students follow the Attendance Policy & Procedures. To see the complete OCPS Attendance Handbook - Student Attendance / Policy and Procedures please click on this link: https://www.ocps.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_54619/File/Frequently%20Updated%20Documents/Attendance%20Policy%20and%20Procedures.pdf It is imperative that the following policies and procedures are understood and adhered to by all Edgewater High School students as our ultimate goal is the success of our students.
Pursuant to the 2023-2024 Code of Student Conduct:
Failure to Attend Classes If a student arrives at school and then leaves campus, has temporary absences from classes, or fails to attend specific classes, the school can take disciplinary action for skipping.
Truancy If a student is required by law to attend school, the school will not suspend the student for unexcused absences or truancy pursuant to Board Policy JE, Student Attendance. Section 954.151, Florida Statutes, requires the Superintendent to report to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles the name, date of birth, sex, and social security number of all students (14-17 years of age) who accumulate fifteen (15) unexcused absences in any ninety (90) calendar day period. These students could lose driver’s licenses, or the privilege to obtain a driver’s license if deemed truant by the school and Florida Statutes. In addition, parents/guardians of habitually truant students are subject to actions taken through the judicial system.
Student Attendance / Policies and Procedures
School attendance is the responsibility of the student and parent/legal guardian. Any student who is not in class when the opening bell rings is considered tardy. There is no grace period for tardies. Classroom teachers will record any student who comes in after the bell rings as tardy.
Late students are allowed to sign in regardless of their arrival time.
A student is absent for the entire day if they miss more than ½ of the school day. All absences are recorded as unexcused until the student returns and provides documentation to school personnel that would excuse the absence.
On a daily basis, student absences will be recorded as unexcused until an acceptable excuse has been provided by the parent/legal guardian indicating the reason for the student’s absence. The principal has the ultimate authority to decide whether an absence shall be excused. Attendance documentation must be submitted to the school within 48 hours of the student’s absence. Phone calls are not acceptable communications for excusing an absence.
Attendance documentation must be submitted to the school within 48 hours of the student’s absence. Phone calls are not acceptable communications for excusing an absence. Digital excuse notes can be accepted by the parent and/or guardian of the student; however, preliminary steps will be taken to ensure authentication of the excuse note.
Students shall be given a reasonable amount of time to make up any work assignments which were missed during an absence, regardless of the type of absence (excused or unexcused). At least one (1) school day shall be allowed to make up missed work for each day of absence.
If a student believes there is an error with their attendance, they should speak with their teacher to determine the correction needed. The teacher will communicate any changes to the Attendance Clerk.
Absences shall be excused for the following:
Illness, injury, or other insurmountable condition;
Illness or death of a member of the student’s immediate family. OCPS practice has been to define immediate family as the student’s mother, father, brother, sister, stepmother, stepfather, step-siblings, and other relatives who live in the student’s home.
Recognized (or established) religious holidays and/or religious instruction;
Medical appointments;
Legal appointments;
Participation in an approved activity or class of instruction held at another site;
Prearranged absences of educational value with the principal’s prior approval
Pediculosis (head lice) infestation (up to four (4) days per school year
Catastrophic disasters that significantly impact the life of the student (e.g., loss of residence from natural disaster).
Early Departure:
Early student departure during the last hour of the school day is strongly discouraged. All early departures are recorded as unexcused until the student provides documentation concerning the reason for the early departure.
NO phone calls and NO text messages will be accepted by staff for early dismissal.
If a student must be signed out during school hours the parent/guardian must come into the Attendance Office and present their valid driver’s license or other federal/state issued ID. The student will be called out of class to come to the Attendance Office.
Truancy:If a student has had at least five (5) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a calendar month or ten (10) unexcused absences within a ninety (90) calendar day period, or an equivalent combination of unexcused absences and accumulated tardies as determined by the Child Study Team action, the student’s teachers shall report to the principal or designee that the student may be exhibiting a pattern of nonattendance. The principal or designee shall, unless there is clear evidence that the absences are not a pattern of nonattendance, refer the case to the school’s Child Study Team to determine if early patterns of truancy are developing. If the Child Study Team finds that a pattern of nonattendance is developing, whether the absences are excused or not, a meeting with the parent/legal guardian must be scheduled to identify potential remedies.
The Pre-Arranged Absence Form should be used when the student is planning to be out of school for a scheduled, extended period of time. Examples include: surgery and/or recovery, travel, club competition, Religious retreat, etc… These forms can be picked up in the Attendance Office.
The Excused Absence Form should be completed when there is no documentation provided by the appointment provider’s office (doctor, dentist, etc…). The form can be accessed here: https://edgewaterhs.ocps.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_68960/File/Excused%20Absence%20Form%20-%20OCPS.pdf
Driver License Issues:
In order to qualify for a driver’s license, a youth must be actively enrolled in public school, private school, or a home education program. Students between 14 and 17 years of age are reported to the DMV when they accumulate 15 unexcused absences in a 90-day-calendar period, or if the students is withdrawn with a dropout code. OCPS electronically notifies the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and the DHSMV automatically issues an order to suspend the student’s driver’s license or the student’s ability to obtain a driver’s license. The DHSMV sends a letter to the student and the parent/guardian explaining that the license is pending suspension.
Reinstatement shall be initiated by the student by submission of written verification that he or she has been in compliance for thirty (30) consecutive school days prior to the request for verification of compliance. Compliance starts on the first day after the student’s last unexcused absence. The student must attend school, without any unexcused absences, for thirty (30) consecutive school days. If the student has any excused absence during that time, an extra day is added to the end of the thirty (30) day compliance period to adjust for each absence. The Attendance Clerk will complete the compliance form (the HSMV 72870) attesting that the student has met the requirements and is eligible for reinstatement of their driver’s license.
If a student is repeatedly absent from school due to illness, the school is authorized to require the parent/legal guardian to provide a written physician’s statement for each subsequent absence to be considered excused. It is the practice of OCPS to require a doctor’s note when a student is absent for three or more consecutive days or requests more than five non-consecutive absences for medical reasons.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call our Attendance Clerk, Susan Krupinski at 407-835-4900 extension 606-2232 or send an email to: [email protected]