Policy 10.49
Swan Valley School Division Student Attendance
Policy and Protocol:
Student Attendance Policy:
The Swan
Valley School Division believes that regular attendance and punctuality are
positive and constructive student behaviours.
Daily school attendance is critical because a strong connection exists between
school attendance and academic and social success. In order to gain the full benefits of
educational instruction and meaningful involvement in the wider school
community it is necessary for pupils to be present and on time.
Under the
Manitoba Public Schools Act, a child must attend regularly until the age of
18. A student who is not of compulsory
age is required to attend regularly once he or she enrols.
Responsibility for Attendance:
Responsibility
for attendance rests jointly with the student and his or her parents or
guardians.
School and Divisional Support for
Student Attendance:
Individual Schools and the Swan
Valley School Division have a responsibility to provide engaging instruction in
a safe, nurturing and respectful environment.
School communities and Student Services will work in collaboration with
pupils and their families in support of establishing and sustaining healthy
attendance patterns.
It is the responsibility of the
school to communicate the Swan Valley School Division Attendance Policy
and Protocol to students and their families at the beginning of each
academic year and to individual registrants as they enter the School Division
at other times. In addition, ongoing
school-wide recognition and support for healthy attendance patterns is
expected.
Absences:
Student
absences are categorized as either EXCUSED,
EXPLAINED
or TRUANT.
Absences are
considered excused if the activity is initiated by the school. Excused absences may include but are not
limited to field trips, sporting events, special group outing activities,
suspensions, etc.
Absences are
considered explained if they are for unavoidable causes and are supported
by a signed written note or telephone call from the student’s parent or
guardian. Explained absences may include
times of illness or medical appointments.
Student absence that is neither excused nor explained
is an act of truancy.
Attendance Protocol:
Recording
Attendance:
Teachers and/or Educational Assistants
are expected to be in continuous supervision of
elementary pupils throughout the day. In elementary classes, formal electronic
attendance will be taken at the beginning of the day and then again immediately
following the noon recess.
Teachers and/or Educational Assistants are also expected to be in
continuous supervision of middle and secondary school students throughout the
day. In middle and secondary school
classes electronic attendance will be taken at the beginning of each a subject
or course period.
Reporting Absences:
At Home:
Where
the parent or guardian has determined that the student must be absent from
school, the parent or guardian will inform the school prior to the scheduled
time for that day or class.
Pupils
who are 18 years of age or older may telephone to report their own absence
reasons in lieu of a parent or guardian taking this responsibility.
In
the case of prolonged illness, the student’s absences must be supported by a
medical certificate. An illness is
considered prolonged if it keeps a student from attending classes longer than
three consecutive days. If a prolonged
illness is an isolated case supported by a medical certificate it will be
considered as one day of absence for the purposes of this protocol of
response.
At the School:
All
non-excused or unexplained absences will be reported. Should a student be truant parents or
guardians will be contacted.
Divisional Response to Student Absences:
Upon
the third day of reported explained absence or truancy in a
given month, the School Division Social Worker will be advised of the
situation. The Social Worker will
contact the parent or guardian to discuss the importance of regular attendance
and to offer support for sustaining healthy attendance patterns. A record of this contact will be maintained by
the Social Worker and shared with the Principal. Student Services Team members may also be
contacted as is required. If requested,
the Social Worker will assist with developing and implementing plans to avoid
future absences.
Upon
the fifth day of explained absence or truancy in a
given month, the School Division Social Worker will facilitate a meeting of the
student, his or her parents or guardians, and the Principal. Other school staff may also be involved, for
example, Classroom Teacher(s), Learning Resource Teacher(s), and Guidance
Teacher(s) etc. The purpose of this
meeting will be to further discuss the importance of regular attendance and to
offer support for sustaining healthy attendance patterns, this time in a
face-to-face setting. The Social Worker
will be responsible for keeping a record of this meeting and for distributing a
summary of the conversations to participants along with the agreed upon plan
for ensuring healthy attendance. The Social Worker will assist with developing
and implementing plans to avoid future absences including establishment of
follow-up meetings as are required.
The
School Division Social Worker will continue to work in collaboration with the
student, his or her family, the Principal, Teachers, Student Services, and the
wider community as is necessary until healthy attendance patterns have been
established and sustained.
Lates:
Students
are expected to be punctual for all classes.
A pupil who arrives late for class not only loses valuable instructional
time but also disrupts the learning of others. Parents or guardians will be
notified if their son or daughter arrives late for class. As required, appropriate school personnel will
host face-to-face conversations with students and their families designed to
improve punctuality. The School
Principal will be responsible for keeping records of these interventions.
A
continuing pattern of late arrivals will result in the School Division Social
Worker being invited to work in collaboration with the student, his or her
family, the Principal, Teachers, Student Services, and the wider community as
is necessary until healthy attendance patterns have been established and
sustained. The Social Worker will be
responsible for keeping a record of this involvement.
Truancy
During the School Day:
Students
are expected to attend all classes during the scheduled day. Skipped periods leave a pupil with missed
opportunities to learn. Parents or
guardians will be notified if their son or daughter is truant from individual
classes. As required, appropriate school
personnel will host face-to-face conversations with students and their families
designed to ensure attendance in all scheduled classes. The School Principal will be responsible for
keeping records of these interventions.
A
continuing pattern of truancy from individual classes will result in the School
Division Social Worker being invited to work in collaboration with the student,
his or her family, the Principal, Teachers, Student Services, and the wider
community as is necessary until healthy attendance patterns have been
established and sustained. The Social
Worker will be responsible for keeping a record of this involvement.
Suspensions:
A suspension from school is an
excused absence. The school has a
responsibility to provide academic programming for missed classes.
A
continuing pattern of suspensions will result in the School Division Social
Worker being invited to work in collaboration with the student, his or her
family, the Principal, Teachers, Student Services, and the wider community as
is necessary until healthy attendance and behaviour patterns have been
established and sustained. The Social
Worker will be responsible for keeping a record of this involvement.
Swan Valley School
Division Attendance Protocol At-A-Glance
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