ATTENDANCE MATTERS 2011-2012 

Phone: 523-1623   *   Fax: 523-1616   *   Email: JDHS_Attendance@jsd.k12.ak.us

It is Juneau-Douglas High School’s goal for every student to be on time and in every class in order to be both an active learner and contributor in the educational process, who does not detract from the learning of others.  This brief summary of attendance procedures will help us work together to create the best environment for student learning and success and an accurate record of attendance.  See the handbook for further details at http://www.juneauschools.org/jdhs2/.

• Only the attendance office can enter excuses for absences in the computer.  All excuses, notes, calls, passes and arrangements with teachers or appointments in school must go through the attendance office to be excused.

•  Teachers mark students absent or tardy.  If a student has been marked absent in error, the teacher must sign an attendance correction form before the attendance office can make a change.

• Parents/Guardians must contact the attendance office to excuse an absence.  Please give enough information to clearly identify your child, the time and day you are excusing, the reason your child is out, and your name, relationship with the child, and contact information.  Parents have five days to excuse an absence before it stands as entered.

•  Valid excuses for include: illness/injury; medical, dental, or court appointments; a death in the family; religious holidays; family travel; school sponsored travel/activities; and true emergency situations.   Excessive absences, even when excused, may impact grades and credit.  Students with unexcused absences lose credit for that day’s assignments.

•  Students should miss no more than 10 classes per period per semester, excused or unexcused, with an additional 8 allowed for family-planned or activity absences.  It may be helpful to use this chart to track absences in order to stay within the allowed number.  It is a good practice to check attendance on PowerSchool on a weekly basis to be sure appropriate absences have been excused and attendance has been entered correctly. 

• Students who arrive late or leave class and/or school outside of normal hours must sign in at the attendance office.   Please call, email, or send a note if your student needs to leave school early for an appointment.  Students who get sick at school go to the nurse, who will clear them to leave after contacting the parent/guardian. 

•  Students are tardy if they are not in the classroom at the beginning of the period.   An aggravated tardy (which is treated like an absence for attendance letters) is more than 5 minutes late to class. 

•  A Family-Planned Absence form must be completed in advance for preplanned absences, such as family vacations, club team travel (as opposed to school sponsored activities), or wisdom teeth extraction, regardless of the number of days.  See the handbook or contact the attendance office for the procedure.  Extended family travel may require a student to take correspondence courses or alter his/her schedule for that particular semester. 

•  The school will attempt to contact families by phone each time there is an unexcused absence.  Parents/guardians can designate which contact number (home, work, cell) is used.   A letter will be sent home if a student reaches 3 or 7 unexcused absences in a class.  Please keep your contact information current.

•  April 3-6 is Testing Week at JDHS for freshmen, sophomores and all students who have not passed the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam.  Please mark it on your calendar now to avoid scheduling conflicts. 

I look forward to serving you.  I work hard to get to know as many students as I can.  I care about their success.  Please feel free to contact me if I can be of help in clarifying attendance procedures.

                                                     Gaye Willis, JDHS Attendance Secretary

Juneau School District Attendance Policy:  http://www.juneauschools.org/board/policy/5220