General Info
Attendance Policy

Natick Public Schools ATTENDANCE PROTOCOL   

ABSENCES

All students are expected to attend school and to be on time.  In the event that your child is absent from school, please notify the school as soon as possible on the day of the absence.  A student is considered absent if they are not present in school for at least half of the school day. The chart below indicates the minimum number of minutes a student must attend school in order to be marked present. Even if a student is tardy to school or has an early dismissal, students who are present in school for less than the minimum number of minutes will be marked absent.

• Full Day number of required minutes:  188 minutes
• Half Day number of required minutes:  103 minutes

Absences will be documented excused, unexcused, or truant.

Excused Absences

• A student will be considered as having an excused absence when:
• The parent has notified the school on the day of the absence before the end of that school day, AND
• The student's total number of absences has not exceeded 10 in the course of the school year.
• Any absence that exceeds a total number of 10 will be considered unexcused.  (See Unexcused Absences).
• If a child is absent and there has been no parental contact by the end of the school day, the student will be considered truant.  (See Truant)
• If a student is absent for 5 or more consecutive days, parents must obtain a doctor's note and submit it to the school.
• If the total number of absences (excused or unexcused) exceeds ten (10) a CHINS (child in need of services legal filing) diversionary hearing will be held with a juvenile court representative and building administration. This type of hearing is to assist the child and family in improving attendance issues.
• Any absences totaling over 15, unless deemed extraordinary, will result in the filing of a CHINS with the juvenile court.

Protocol for Excused Absences:

• After five (5) excused absences, a letter of warning will be issued to parents reminding them of the school's protocol and that an administrator will contact them to schedule a meeting should the absences approach 10 days.

• After eight (8) excused absences, a parent conference will be scheduled with the building administrator to review the school's protocol around attendance and to reinforce that each subsequent absent will be deemed "Unexcused."

Unexcused Absent

• A student will be considered as having an unexcused absence when a student's total number of excused absences has exceeded ten (10).
• The building administrator has discretion over deeming "extraordinary circumstances" as being either excused or unexcused absences.  "Extraordinary circumstances" may include, but are not limited to: death in the family, religious observances, court appearances, extensive medical circumstances, etc.

Truant

• A student will be considered truant when he or she does not attend school without permission from his or her parents.
• The school will notify parents if it is suspected that their child is truant (i.e. student is absent from school and the school has received no parental notification).

Protocol for Unexcused Absences and Truancy

• After three (3) Unexcused Absences, Truants, or in combination, the building administrator will schedule a meeting with the parent, student and resource officer or juvenile probation officer.
• After 7 Unexcused Absences, Truants, or in combination, the school will file a CHINS with the Juvenile Court.

TARDIES

All students are expected to attend school and to be on time.  In the event that your child is tardy to school, please notify the school as soon as possible on the day of the tardy.  A student is considered tardy if the student enters school after the beginning time for school, AND is present for more than half of the school day (See Attendance).  A student not present for more than half of the school day will be considered absent.  Tardies will be documented as either excused or unexcused.

Excused Tardy

• A student will be considered as having an excused tardy when:
• The parent has notified the school on the day of the tardy before the end of that school day, AND
• The student's total number of tardies (both excused and unexcused) has not exceeded 10 in the course of the school year.

Unexcused Tardy

• A student will be considered as having an unexcused tardy when there has been no notification from the parent of the tardy before the end of that school day.

Protocol for Excused and Unexcused Tardies

• All unexcused tardies are subject to consequence by the building administrator (e.g. lunch detention or after school detention)
• After 15 excused tardies, unexcused tardies, or in combination, the building administrator may request a meeting with the parent, student, and attendance officer or juvenile probation officer.
• After 20 excused tardies, unexcused tardies, or any tardies in combination, the building administrator may file a CHINS with the Juvenile Court.