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Student Attendance
Student Attendance
- General Notification of Pupil Absences
- Student Participation Following Absence
- Student Absence Due to Vacations
- Sign-Out Procedures During the School Day
- Compulsory Attendance Laws
- Truancy
- Visitation by Parents and Community Members
- Parent Meetings
- School Visitation by Students
- Statutory Restrictions On Sex Offender Proximity and Visits to Schools
- Proof of Residency
If a child is absent from school, the parent or guardian is asked to call the school during the first hour of the school day to report the absence. Voicemails may be left with the student’s name, homeroom teacher, and the specific reason for the absence. Any parent/guardian failing to notify the school of an absence will be contacted by telephone at home or work within two hours of the start of school to verify the absence. If the school office cannot contact a legal guardian, emergency contacts may be called.
The District is required to maintain attendance records on all children. The Illinois State Board of Education has established guidelines for what counts as half-day and full-day attendance. The guidelines are based on instructional time with the following general parameters:
| Kindergarten | 1st grade | grades 2-8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Day Minimum | 4 hrs/240 mins | 4 hrs/240 mins | 5 hrs/300 mins |
| Half Day Minimum | 2 hrs/120 mins | 2 hrs/120 mins | 2.5 hrs/150 mins |
These attendance guidelines do not apply to disabled children below the age of 6 who, because of disability, cannot attend a two-hour session, or to students receiving home/hospital instruction.
In the case of a prolonged, legitimate absence, parents will not be expected to call every day of the absence, but they are asked to keep in touch with the building or attendance secretary at their child’s school. A doctor's note excusing the child’s absences is needed when a child has been absent from school for three or more consecutive days.
Students who are in the Tuition-Based Blended Preschool Program must commit to attending the full 5 days of the program in order to be given a spot. Students who have 10 consecutive days of unexcused absences will be dropped from the program. If a student needs to be re-enrolled, that student’s name will be added to the waitlist.
Student Participation Following Absence
Any student who is absent from school due to an illness will not be allowed to participate in or attend any school activity the same afternoon, evening, or the following day (Saturday) unless the student arrives at school by noon (for the middle school students) or by the beginning of afternoon classes immediately following lunch (for elementary school students). A student who, per doctor's direction, cannot participate in physical education class also may not participate in after-school/extracurricular sports.
Student Absence Due to Vacations and Family Trips
While removing students from school for vacation is generally discouraged, the District recognizes that family vacations are important. Parents are strongly urged to coordinate travel plans and other such activities with school vacations. All family trips are considered unexcused absences. We ask that parents/guardians consider that there are some classroom experiences that cannot be repeated for students who are absent.
Whenever possible, early notification is appreciated. Arrangements should be made with the attendance office, principal, and teachers so that the reason for the absence and plans for keeping up with school work are known.
In the event students are taken out of school, specific assignments replicating classroom instruction will not be assigned by the teacher before or during the absence. General academic activities, such as keeping a journal and reading books while on vacation, may be recommended. If assignments are provided upon return to school, a timetable for making up missed work will be developed with the student after they have returned.
Any vacation or family trip exceeding fifteen (15) consecutive school days during a school year shall result in the student being unenrolled. Upon return to school, a parent or guardian must re-enroll the student and comply with all registration requirements. While every effort will be made to place your child with the teacher they were with prior to unenrollment, this cannot be guaranteed.
Sign-Out Procedures During the School Day
No student may leave the school grounds without the permission of the principal, assistant principal, or member of the office staff. Students may not leave the building at any time without being signed out by the parent or guardian at the appropriate area in the office. Dismissal during the day requires notification from a parent or guardian by telephone, email, or written note. Parent phone calls, emails, or written notes for student dismissal during the school day should be received no later than one hour after the start of the school day on the day of dismissal; however, earlier notification is appreciated.
The Illinois compulsory attendance law requires all children ages 6-17 to attend school. Students below the age of 6 years or above the age of 17 years who are enrolled in grades Kindergarten – 12 are also required to attend school while in session during the regular school term.
It is the responsibility of a parent or guardian to ensure his/her child attends school regularly in order to obtain the maximum benefits from the educational program.
Student attendance is critical to the learning process. Truancy is therefore a serious issue and will be dealt with in a serious manner by the school and district.
Students who miss more than one percent (1%) but less than five percent (5%) of the prior 180 regular school days without valid cause (a recognized excuse) are truant. Students who miss five percent (5%) or more of the prior 180 regular school days without valid cause are chronic truants. Students who are chronic truants will be offered support services and resources aimed at correcting the truancy issue.
If chronic truancy persists after support services and other resources are made available, the school and district will take further action, including:
- Referral to the truancy officer
- Reporting to officials under the Juvenile Court Act
- Referral to the State’s Attorney
- Appropriate school discipline
Valid cause for absence (Excused Absence) – A child may be absent from school because of illness, mental health, medical appointment, observance of a religious holiday or event, death in the immediate family, family emergency, attendance at a civic event, and approved school activities.
In the event that a child is absent for the purpose of observing a religious holiday, the absence will be considered excused and the student will be given an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement. Excessive health-related absences without doctor’s notes are not valid causes for absence.
Parents or Guardians may obtain assistance to improve attendance by contacting the school administration, counselor, or nurse.
The Student Services Department will function on a consultative and remedial basis in truancy matters. Families and students seeking help with truancy may be referred to Educational Services after a principal/teacher conference.
Visitation By Parents and Community Members
One of the school District's responsibilities is to maintain a safe and orderly environment free from activities that may be disruptive to the educational process. All visitors to the school buildings and classrooms must conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, and the school District retains the right to take such action as deemed necessary, including, but not limited to, the restriction of visitation by parents and community members to times and places that will enhance the likelihood of maintaining a safe and orderly environment.
If the visit to a child's classroom is for observation of the classroom activities/instruction, parents must seek approval for the observation and arrange the date and time for the visit with the school principal at least ten (10) school days before the visit.
When requesting an opportunity to visit, parents and community members should state clearly the purpose of the visit. In addition to the impact of the visit on the learning environment, principals may consider a variety of other factors, including the impact of the visit on the child, other children, and peer relationships.
From time to time, and when deemed appropriate, parents and community members may also visit classrooms other than those attended by their own children. Requests by parents or community members to visit classrooms other than those of their own children must be made in writing two (2) weeks in advance and preapproved by the school principal.
The school principal retains the right to decline a request if he or she feels the visitation might be potentially disruptive or not be in the best interest of creating a safe and orderly environment in the school. The decision of the school principal is final.
Parent Meetings
Parents may request meetings with their child's teacher or building principal. In order to ensure the appropriate information is available and prepared, these meetings should be scheduled in advance.
School Visitation By Students
Outside student visitors will not be permitted during the school day.
Statutory Restrictions On Sex Offender Proximity and Visits to Schools
The Illinois Criminal Code generally makes it unlawful for a child sex offender to be present in any school building, on real property comprising any school, or in any conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by a school to transport students to or from school or a school-related activity when persons under the age of 18 are present in the building, on the grounds, or in the conveyance, except in very specific cases as they relate to the individual’s child(ren). In all cases where a sex offender is allowed to be present in a school building, on school grounds, or at a school activity, permission must be granted in advance by the superintendent or his or her designee and the individual must remain under the direct supervision of a school official at all times.
Parents/guardians of all students new to District 96 will need to provide photocopies of two (2) proofs of residency when registering their student. A student’s teacher assignment/class schedule will not be provided until the required proof of residency document photocopies are received.
Photocopies of two documents showing proof of residency will be required for each student new to the District and periodically thereafter. Families who register with a valid lease one year in length or shorter will be required to re-submit proof of residency upon expiration of the lease or prior to the start of the next school year, whichever occurs sooner. One document photocopy must come from the following list: tax bill, real estate closing document, bill of sale, warranty deed, monthly mortgage statement, or current and valid lease. (You may block out any confidential financial information.) The second document of residency must be a photocopy of one of the following: a current utility bill, home insurance bill, auto registration, or driver’s license (including the certificate of extension on the reverse side, if applicable).
Education of Homeless Children and Youth — Homeless person, child, or youth includes, but is not limited to, any of the following: (1) An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime place of abode; and (2) An individual who has a primary nighttime place of abode that is (A) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and traditional housing); (B) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or (C) a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. Whether a child or youth meets the definition of homeless depends on the living situation and the individual circumstances.
District 96 ensures that students enrolled have full and equal opportunity to succeed. Consideration shall be given to issues concerning transportation, immunization, residency, birth certificates, school records and other documentation, and guardianship on a case-by-case basis.
Families are encouraged to contact the Student Services Department at the District Office should they believe they meet the homeless criteria.