Highland Attendance & Absence Procedures (How to request an educational absence)

Highland Educational Absence Approval Form

Being in school on time and completing the full day is vital to a student’s success. When you ensure your child is in his class on time, you are setting a standard showing them the importance of school.  When students arrive late or leave early, it often impacts their entire day. They miss valuable instructional time. Their late arrival or early release distracts the class and the teacher. 

Good attendance in school is so important that the state of NC has laws governing school attendance:

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/fbs/accounting/manuals/sasa.pdf

Lawful Absences

• Illness or Injury (note from parent or doctor required within 2 days of the child’s return to school)

•  Death in the Immediate Family

•  Medical Dental Appointment (note from doctor’s office required)

•  Court or administrative Proceeding (where child’s presences is required)

• Religious Observance (note from parent required)

• Educational Opportunity (must be approved at least 2 weeks in advance by the school principal)

 Other Points to Remember

• School starts at 7:20 AM and ends at 2:40 PM. If a student is not in their classroom by 7:50 AM, then they are tardy. They have to be signed in at the office.

• Parents are required to sign students in and out at the front office between 7:50 AM and 2:20 PM (students will not be called to the office after 2:20 for security reasons).

• Students will not be called to the office early for parents to pick up unless they are sick.

• State law mandates that students must be present for half the instructional day to be counted present (3 hours and 25 minutes). The cutoff for half a day present is 11:15 on a regular school day. Times are modified for system-wide early release days.

• All transfer students are held to strict attendance policies outlined in the contract signed by the parent at the beginning of the school year or when the transfer is approved. Transfers can be revoked at any time during the school for attendance policy violations. 

Thank you for working with us to foster your child’s success!