Dear families,
As the end of First Quarter is approaching, we wanted to highlight the attendance part of our District Student Handbook. You can find the handbook on our NBE website. You may also review the policy below.
ATTENDANCE It is important that your child is at school each day. Good attendance is one of the keys to achieving your child’s full potential in the learning process. The overall rate of attendance is one of four determining factors in our accreditation rating with the Indiana Department of Education. Depending upon the time of year, absence can also have an impact on school funding.
Attendance will be excused but not counted against absence numbers for the following reasons:
➢ School-sponsored trips;
➢ Court appearance or witness in judicial proceedings;
➢ Service as a legislative page;
➢ Participation in an election;
➢ Active duty with the Indiana National Guard;
➢ Active duty with the Indiana wing of civil air patrol;
➢ Religious instruction;
➢ Attendance excused by the principal/designee;
➢ Exhibiting or participating in State Fair-- A student may be excused if the student or member of the student’s household participates or exhibits in the Indiana State fair for educational purposes. The student’s parent/guardian must provide a written note indicating the educational purpose and the school principal must approve the absence. A student may not miss more than (5) days in a school year due to attending the State Fair. The student must be in good academic standing with the school as determined by HSE.
Attendance will be excused but counted against absence numbers for the following reasons:
➢ The student’s illness or injury (documented);
➢ Accident involving the student’s transportation;
➢ Death or serious illness in the student’s immediate family; Elementary Handbook Page 3 Adopted by the HSE Board of Trustees July 2023; Amended July 2023
➢ Religious observations;
➢ College visits;
➢ Attendance excused by the principal/designee
Students of active duty personnel shall have additional excused absences at the discretion of the District for visitations relative to leave or deployment.
Excused absences at the elementary school level means the student is counted as absent, but it falls under one of the legal reasons for an absence. All other absences are considered unexcused.
A maximum of eight (8) days per semester and a maximum of sixteen (16) days per school year will be excused. Further undocumented absences will be unexcused. Students must have a written explanation from their doctor for every absence above and beyond the maximum of 8 days per semester or 16 days per year. Parents/guardians are ultimately responsible for their child’s school attendance. Students with excessive absences and/or tardies will be referred to the HSE attendance officer.
At the elementary level, the half day absence mark is 10:55AM for student day. Any student arriving after 8:40AM and prior to 10:55AM will be marked half day absence.
EXTENDED ABSENCES Students who are absent from school for an excess of 10 consecutive school days may be subject to the following actions as each may be deemed appropriate by the School, all subject to further procedure in accordance with this Student Handbook and Indiana law: (i) the School may exit the student as an out of state transfer. The parent/guardian shall be responsible for enrolling the student where they are located and re-enrolling the student upon their return; (ii) at the election of the parent/guardian, the student may be exited as a transfer to Homeschooling; (iii) upon approval of the School, the extended absence may be excused if the trip is for education purposes in accordance with Ind. Code 20-33-2-17.5; or (iv) the extended absences may be reported as unexcused absences, which may subject the student to truancy or expulsion procedures and require the School to notify DCS or other entities as required by Indiana law.
Parents/guardians should provide the School with advanced notice of any planned extended absences sufficient to satisfy one of the above-referenced options. Failure to provide advanced notice may lead to the extended absence being declared unexcused, which may subject the student to truancy or expulsion procedures and require the School to notify DCS or other entities as required by Indiana law.
If you have any questions, please contact the office. Thank you for your support and continued partnership with us!
Katy Lee
Assistant Principal
New Britton Elementary
