Great Falls High School

Attendance

Definitions:

Absences that are counted against the 12-day absence limit: (Students are required to make up all work that is missed to gain the necessary skills taught in the course):

• Excused Absences (E=Excused, F=Family, IL=Illness). An absence that had been pre-approved or cleared, within five days of the absence, by a parent or a guardian.
• Unexcused Absences (TR=Truant or A=Absent).             An absence that has not been pre-approved or excused, within five days of the absence, by a parent or guardian.  Students will be allowed to make-up work missed during unexcused absences at teacher discretion.

Absences not counted against the 12-day absence limit: (Students are required to make up all work that is missed to gain the necessary skills taught in the course.):

• SR=School Related    When a student is absent due to a school-sponsored or school-approved event.  These absences must be pre-approved through the attendance office. 
• IS=ISS, OS=OSS Disciplinary action that results in the exclusion of a student from classes and/or extra-curricular activities for a specified period of time.
• M=Medical, H=Homebound An absence that is medically cleared through written documentation from a licensed physician.
• OT= Other (i.e. Weather related absence when the schools remain in session or Legal appointments or one College Visit during your Senior year or discretionary administrative approval.)
• F= bereavement, religious exemptions

12 – Day Absence Procedure:

• If a student accumulates more than 12 total excused or unexcused absences in any class period during a semester, he/she is in violation of the absence limit. If the student is passing the class with an “A”, “B” or “C”, he/she will receive credit; however, the letter grade will be reflected as a “P” for that class on their permanent transcript. This “P” will be calculated as a 2.0 toward the student’s cumulative GPA.  Students who have a “D” or “F” will maintain those grades.
• Replacing a “P” with a letter grade on permanent student transcript.
  • When a student accumulates more than 12 total excused or unexcused absences in any class period and wishes to reinstate a letter grade he/she needs to do the following:
    12. Contact their Associate Principal to initiate the reinstatement process within 3 days of accumulating more than 12. One of two methods may be used to reinstate a letter grade.
        • Attendance Contract – student will have zero excused or unexcused absences for 20 consecutive school days or the remainder of the semester, whichever is greater.
        • Hour-For-Hour Makeup. For every class period you miss more than 12 (per period), you must make up an academic intervention hour (possibilities include Saturday School, Night School, teacher supervised time, etc.). If fewer than 20 days remaining in a semester, this is your only option.

• An appeal can happen once per school year. An appeal must be completed during the offending semester. If a student appeals, he/she cannot have any more excused or unexcused absences that semester in that class period.
• NOTE - Any planned absence that may put a student over the limit of 12 must be approved by the administration (i.e. vacations, family trips, educational learning opportunities, etc.) See also below:  “Planned Absence”

Absence Notification. A phone call from a parent or legal guardian is necessary when a student is absent or late. Calls should be received by 9 am on the day of the absence (the Attendance Office number is 268-6251). Students who are found calling in and representing themselves as parents or guardians will face disciplinary consequences. Absences must be excused within 48 hours or absences will revert to an unverified absence/truancy. 

Automated Attendance Notification System. If your student is absent from a class, and if you, as the parent, have not called in to excuse the absence, you will be notified via phone that your student’s absence is currently unexcused.  Please notify the school of phone number changes.

The automated system will call at intervals of several hours until our Attendance Office receives a call back from you, the parent.  The recorded message will give you all the pertinent details.  Of course, it is very important that we have your current phone number(s); it is the parent’s responsibility to update contact information.

Attendance Matters

“Attendance Matters” is a partnership between Great Falls Public Schools and the local business community. Students seeking employment may be asked to provide an attendance record with their academic transcript to a prospective employer as part of the job application. Students are responsible for requesting the transcript and may sign for it if they are 18 years old, or have a parent sign if they are a minor. The GFH Records Office issues these transcripts.

Inclement Weather.  During inclement weather, listen to the radio for weather updates. Social media is also utilized.  Check Twitter (@GFPublicSchools), Facebook and the school district website (www.gfps.k12.mt.us) for updates.  If you have questions, please contact the school office. In the case of school or bus cancellations, absences will be school related. If, at any time, you feel that it is not safe for your child to travel to school because of road/weather conditions, please call and speak with your child’s associate principal.  Great Falls High will work with you to support family decisions to keep their children safe.

Planned Absences. It is important to remember that the learning experiences taking place in the classroom environment are an essential part of the educational process.  Teachers and students can work out arrangements for handing in missed work; however, it is not possible or reasonable to expect teachers to reconstruct classroom activities (e.g. discussions, labs, etc.) when a student misses class. *Planned extended absences (i.e. family vacations, family/friend trips, etc.) that span 3 or more days must receive prior approval from the GFH administration.  

See also above: “12-Day Absence Procedure.”

Absences accrued due to a student missing school by choice to participate in vacation, family trips, or other activities that could otherwise be scheduled on a non-school day or outside of the school day, often negatively impact the student's grades as a result of missing essential classroom discussion, labs, and activities. Teachers and students usually work out arrangements for handing in the work missed; however, often it is not possible or reasonable to expect teachers to reconstruct classroom activities when a student misses class by choice.

When missing school is unavoidable for a non-school related, planned activity, school officials and teachers appreciate knowing the student will be absent. Parents are asked to CALL THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE (268-6251) in advance of the absence when they know their child will miss school.

Students need to pick up a “Request for Absence Approval and Assignments” form from the Attendance Office and take it to teachers for signatures and homework.

Absences for school-sponsored activities are excused, and teachers will work with students to make up the work missed.

Absences during semester tests, unless a verified emergency, must be cleared two weeks in advance with the Associate Principal and counselor.  Failure to take mandated exams may result in a zero grade being assigned for the exam.

Make-up Work. Teachers will grant 2 days for each day of excused/ verified absence (such as appointments/illnesses verified by a parent) for work completion at full credit. It is the student’s responsibility to make individual arrangements with his or her teachers for work completion. Students may not be able to make up work missed during unexcused/unverified absences. (Per Board Policy 3122R: Any absence must be verified within 48 hours of the absence or the absence will be recorded as unverified.)

Tardies. Students are expected to arrive to class on time, with materials, and be ready to learn. Students, late for any reason, must report to the attendance office and receive an admit slip.  The teacher will handle classroom tardies; excessive tardies may be referred to an administrator. Tardy contracts are an option for teachers and administrators to use. Chronic tardiness may adversely affect a student’s academic progress. A tardy of more than 15 minutes is considered an absence.

Before and After School. Students who arrive early are expected to keep voices at a normal level and not to be loud or disruptive to zero period classes that are in session. After school, students are asked to leave the building as soon as possible (within 5 minutes of class ending), unless they are being supervised by a staff member. Students waiting for rides or for driver’s education classes should remain in the breezeways.

Disciplinary Action for Truancy. Truancy may result in disciplinary action. Students are to attend every class, every day.

Change of Address. It is very important that any change of residence or phone numbers during the school year be reported to the Attendance Office (268-6251).  This includes primary addresses and second mailing addresses. 

Impact on Extra-Curricular Activities: In order to participate in an extracurricular activity, including practice, a student must be in school during the afternoon of the date of the event or during the afternoon on the last day prior to the activity, if the activity falls on a non-school day.  Rare exceptions may be made by an Administrator. This expectation also extends to students enrolled in Drivers Education courses!

Part Time Attendance. Students requesting part-time enrollment will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. A committee of school professionals and the parent will review the application and make a recommendation. The final decision lies with the Principal, subject to review by the Superintendent upon request.

Release of Student from School. Students must check out with the attendance office before leaving school during the day. Failure to sign out before leaving will result in disciplinary action. A student who wishes to leave school during the day must have a parent call the Attendance Office with the reason for leaving. If a student is at school and becomes ill, he/she needs to report to the Attendance Office so that parents may be contacted.  Students may only be released to adults listed on PowerSchool. 

Transfer or Withdrawal from school. Students transferring schools or withdrawing from school must have permission from their parents. After a letter or phone call from parents to an Administrator, the Administrator will proceed with the checkout process. All textbooks must be returned, fines paid, and other obligations met prior to grades being granted and transferred.