Attendance
Attendance Information
General Information
EARLY DISMISSALS
- Must check out through the attendance office.
- No dismissals will be allowed after 3:10PM.
- No dismissals will be allowed through email or phone call.
- Students may only be dismissed by approved contacts in their PowerSchool account.
Scenario 1: Planned Dismissal
- Student brings dismissal note completed by parent to Attendance Office the morning of the day of dismissal. The note should include students full name, time of dismissal, parent/guardian name, phone number and signature.
- Attendance Secretary will enter an electronic SmartPass for student to be dismissed at time listed on the note.
- Student is able to leave class at time of dismissal at meet you in the car or get in their own vehicle.
Scenario 2: Parent/Guardian pickup between 8:40-3:10.
- Parent/Guardian enters at main office.
- Parent/Guardian provides driver's license or other ID (passport, etc.)
- Student will be called from class to meet you in the office.
Early Dismissal Form (English)
Early Dismissal Form (Espanol)
LATE ARRIVALS/RETURNING AFTER APPOINTMENT
- Students must check-in at the attendance office if arriving to school after 8:40AM.
- Once a student signs out of school, they may only re-enter with proper documentation from a physician, orthodontist, dentist, mental health center, court, or funeral.
- Appointments such as pictures, DMV, Drivers Education, etc. will not be excused.
RETURNING FROM ABSENCE
- Students must submit excuses (parent notes or medical excuse) within 5 days of returning to school.
- NEW! Submit excuses electronically using the button at the top of the page.
Attendance Procedures
NATION FORD HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES
S.C. Compulsory Attendance Law
The South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law requires that a student attend school until he or she has reached seventeen years of age. It guarantees his/her right to remain in school, provided the student is not disruptive and follows fundamental rules and regulations. The first step towards academic success is showing up each day. Students learn better when they are present physically and mentally. We want all students to PERSEVERE and make a conscious effort to attend every class, every day!
Attendance Regulations
The Nation Ford High School attendance policy has been adapted from the York District Four policy due to the implementation of block scheduling. The percentage of time allowed for absences remains the same. Students will be allowed five absences per one-credit course. Parents are encouraged to call the school attendance office regarding questions pertaining to attendance. It is important for parents to be familiar with Parent Portal and check student attendance regularly.
Tardies
Tardiness to school/1st Period Class
No student shall be tardy in his/her arrival for school without permission or excuse by school officials. For every tardy to school after the 3rd tardy, the student will not be allowed to go to 1st period and must report to ISS, where he/she will remain for the rest of the class period. No student will be allowed entry to 1st period class after 9:25 unless he/she provides a medical excuse. After the fifth tardy to school the student driver will have his/her parking permit revoked for the remainder of the semester.
Tardiness to 2nd, 3rd, 4th Period Class
Students tardy to school must report to attendance for a pass. If a student is tardy to 2nd, 3rd, or 4th block they will report to ISS/time-out for that block. If a student fails to report to either attendance or ISS, he/she will be considered skipping and appropriate administrative action will be taken.
Late Arrival/Early Dismissal
Late arrivals/early dismissals must sign in/out through the Attendance Office. Early dismissal notes should include: date and time of dismissal, reason for leaving, student's full name, parent's name and phone number for verification, and parent's signature. No student will be dismissed after 3:10 PM without approval by a principal. There will be no over the phone or email dismissals. Early dismissals count as an unexcused absence unless it falls under one of the valid reasons for an excused absence mentioned on the next page. On exams days, students must have a signed parent form provided or the parent must come in to sign his/her child out for the day. Signing Out and Returning to School
Once a student signs out of school, he/she may only re-enter with proper documentation from a physician, orthodontist, dentist, mental health center, court, or funeral. Any other exception would need prior approval by a principal.
Absence Excuses
ABSENCE EXCUSES
A student must turn in a written excuse for an absence to the attendance office on the morning of their return to school. The attendance clerk will mark the note excused/unexcused and file it in the student’s attendance folder. All documentation must be turned in to the attendance office within 5 days of the absence. Late documentation will not be accepted. Exceptions due to mitigating circumstances are subject to approval of the administration. If you are submitting a parent note, it will apply for a FULL day absence only. A student can submit 2 parent notes per semester for an absence that does not require a doctor’s visit. This note must contain the child’s full name, date of absence, phone number and parent signature. All paper notes should be placed in the attendance box outside the attendance office.
An attempt will be made to personally contact a parent/guardian when a student is absent from first period. Letters will be sent home after the fifth unexcused absence. A credit denial letter will be sent home after the sixth unexcused absence.
In accordance with state law, any student who misses 5 days unexcused must meet with the attendance supervisor and formulate an intervention plan. If your child fails to follow the School Attendance Order and continues to have unlawful absences, the child will be considered a Chronic Truant.
Valid Reasons for Excused Absences are the following:
• Illness or injury-may require a doctor's note
• Quarantine-when the Health Department requires that all members of family stay home
• Bereavement-death of mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, son/daughter, grandparent, great-grandparent, or guardian, aunt, uncle, cousins
• Medical appointment-Doctor/Dentist/Clinic/Orthodontist
▪ 2 blocks allotted for simple dental & ortho procedures or vision check-ups.
▪ If out for a procedure, surgery, sickness, etc, the note must have a beginning and return date listed. We cannot accept “open ended” notes.
▪ Must be for the student.
• Court proceedings (must have subpoena)
• Passport appointments (must have supporting documentation)
• Religious observance (requires prior approval of the principal)
• College Days– must provide official documentation from visit (2 days for seniors, 1 day for juniors per school year)
• Military Visit: paper documentation must be submitted upon return to school
NOTE: Excusing an absence does not mean it is erased. Excusing the absence means there is a legal/valid reason for the absence, but the absence remains on the student’s record. Please note: Class picture appointments off campus, DMV and Driver’s Training sessions are NOT excused absences.
Sickness at School
Students who are ill should obtain a pass from their class teacher to go to the nurse’s office. The nurse will make arrangements for a sick student to go home by contacting one of the parents or a guardian. The student must sign out with the attendance office. Students should not use a cell phone to contact parents. Cell phone violation will be documented if used.
Bereavement
Students will receive three days excused with proper paper documentation submitted. Documentation includes program from the funeral, obituary online printed or mass card. Name of student and relationship must be on the submission.
Virtual Visit with Medical Provider
Documentation from virtual visit should be provided that includes confirmation of the virtual appointment’s completion. Appointment confirmation alone will not be accepted for an excused absence.
Extracurricular Participation
Students who participate in extracurricular activities must be in attendance at least one-half of the school day on the day of the event or a half day on Friday if the event is held on the weekend.
Request for Appeal of Credit Denial- Attendance Policy
The parent of a student missing more than five days may request an appeal of the five-day policy if, in his/her opinion, unavoidable mitigating circumstances caused the student to be absent. The student must have passing grades, and the parent must be able to furnish proper showing unavoidable mitigating circumstances in order to be eligible for an appeal.
Administration will hear appeals for credit denial and make recommendations. Parents not satisfied with the decision shall have the right to appeal the decision to the District Hearing Officer. NATION FORD HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES An attendance recovery program is available to provide students the opportunity to retrieve a course that they could have passed, but missed too many unexcused days and therefore, were denied credit. At the end of each semester, the administration will contact those that qualify for this program.
• Maximum number of days to be recovered is 3.
• In order to be eligible, the student has over 6 unexcused absences, but fewer than 10 (Day 7, 8, 9) and is passing the class.
• Tuition will be charged at a rate of $10 per class period to make up. This will be due before or at the beginning of the makeup session. Cash/check/online. NO refunds will be given if student fails to show up or is late for makeup session. • 1 Class Period = 90 minutes
• Students are expected to complete class assignments, reading, or SAT/ACT preparation activities during the make-up sessions.
• Once the days have been made up under the conditions listed above, credit will be restored to the original grade.
COLLEGE VISITS
Students should schedule college visitations during school holidays whenever possible. However, the principal will allow juniors to use one school day and seniors to use two school days which will be classified as field trips to visit out-of-town colleges, provided documentation on the college letterhead from the admissions office is turned into the attendance office.
Abbreviated Senior Schedules
Seniors may take only 3 classes each semester. As a result, some seniors may not arrive at school until 10:10AM or some may end their day early after 3rd block. These seniors must provide their own transportation. Students must turn in a free block permission form signed by a parent/guardian by the 5 th day of the semester.
Seniors approved for early release or delayed start must leave school or arrive at school promptly each day at the agreed time. It is understood that the school has relinquished its responsibility for the safety of such student upon his/her departure. Should a student desire to remain at school on any particular day, special permission must be received from the principal to do so. Seniors without transportation must have full schedules.