Blythewood High School
Richland School District Two Student Handbook
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
The Board believes that attendance is a key factor in student achievement. Any absence represents an educational loss to the student. The Board expects each student to attend his/ her designated school every day, all day, for the entire year, except in cases of illness or other reasons specifically stated in this policy.
Please note: A student who fails to attend school when he/ she is physically and circumstantially able to do so and has accrued three consecutive unverified absences or a total of five unverified absences is truant. Such a student is in violation of the South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law that requires school attendance for children who are 5 years of age by September 1 until they become 17 years of age.
In accordance with state regulations, students can be absent for no more than 10 days per school year. Documentation from a parent/legal guardian or certified medical practitioner must be submitted to the school immediately upon the return of the student.
The school principal must approve absences that exceed the 10. A student with excessive absences may be subject to retention. The board expects students to attend school daily. Attendance is the presence of a student on days when school is in session. For purposes of the Carnegie unit credit, students may be counted present only when they are actually at school or on homebound instruction. Attendance is necessary if students are to make the desired and expected academic and social progress.
The school year consists of 180 school days. In order to receive one Carnegie unit of credit, a student must be in attendance at least 120 hours, per unit, regardless of the number of days missed.
High school students who exceed five absences in a semester course or 10 absences in a yearlong course may not receive credit for that course. If a student fails to bring valid documentation to school, he/she will automatically be marked as an unverified absence. If a student brings a false (or forged) excuse, he/she must be referred to the school administration for appropriate action and the absence(s) considered unverified.
The district will consider an absence to be verified under the following circumstances:
• The student is ill and their attendance in school would endanger their health and the health of others (If you anticipate that your child may be absent more than eight (8) consecutive days due to an extended health problem, an application for Homebound Instruction should be completed immediately. This application form may be obtained from the Richland Two Department of Instructional Support Services, or from the attendance office at your child’s school.)
• Death or serious illness in their immediate family.
• A recognized religious holiday of their faith.
• Appearances in court or an appointment with a legal officer.
• Appointments with a physician, dentist or other recognized licensed/certified medical practitioner. (Parents are urged to schedule health appointments after school hours. When this is not possible, the days or times of appointments should be alternated so that the student does not always miss the same class or subject.)
• Participation in school-related activities that have received prior approval by the principal or his/her designee.
• Suspension from class or school. Richland School District Two
• Prearranged absences for other reasons and/or extreme hardships, determined at the discretion of the principal.
The district will consider an absence to be unverified under the following circumstances:
• The student is absent from school without the knowledge of their parent/legal guardian.
• The student is absent without acceptable cause with the knowledge of the parent/legal guardian. The parent/legal guardian will be notified that written excuses will be required and expected to provide the school with a written excuse for each absence. After three consecutive unverified absences or a total of five unverified absences, the student is considered truant. Once a student is determined to be truant and/ or otherwise excessively absent, school officials will make every reasonable effort to meet with the parent/guardian. School officials, along with the parent/legal guardian and student (when appropriate) will identify the reasons for the absences and develop an Attendance Intervention Plan (AIP) to improve future attendance.
The AIP will include, but not limited to, the following:
• Reasons for unverified and/or excessive absences.
• Methods to resolve the cause of unverified and/or excessive absences.
• Actions to be taken in the event unverified and/or excessive absences continue.
• Signature of the parent/legal guardian or evidence that a reasonable attempt has been made to involve the parent/legal guardian. Reasonable attempts should be made to contact the parent/ legal guardian to identify the reasons for a student’s absences. Reasonable efforts include telephone calls, home visits, written message, and emails. Should the parent/legal guardian refuse to cooperate with the AIP process and the student accumulate two additional unverified absences, a petition may be filed with family court. A petition may also be filed should the parent/legal guardian develop an AIP and fail to comply with the plan and the child continue to accrue unverified absences. In either situation, the child is deemed a “habitual truant,” according to the state’s compulsory school attendance law.