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University of Illinois.
All rights reserved.

7.2 ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES

Home > About Uni > School Policies > Student Handbook > 7.2

 Attendance requirements and procedures follow the Illinois School Code and are designed to promote accountability and self-discipline.  Records of absences are kept in the main office and on the SDS records system on the computer.  Reports of absences and tardies will be given to the teachers on a daily basis.  Teachers will check  report for excused, unexcused, and approved absences.  Uni students are expected to attend all classes except in cases of an excused absence. Continued participation in extra-curricular activities is dependent on meeting the attendance and academic requirements of the school.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) must notify the main office in writing or by phone before 9:00 a.m. of a student's absence.  Parent(s)/guardian(s) can request homework assignments in the morning and can pick them up in the main office from 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM. The office number (333-2870) is available 24 hours of the day for reporting absences and tardies. Furthermore, the parent/guardian must call each day the student is absent unless previous arrangements have been with the Assistant Director.  Parents must call, e-mail,  or send a note [unless an anticipated absence form has been completed] prior to a student leaving Uni if a student is to miss a class.

The following procedures will be initiated in regard to student absences:

.     The student's absence from class will be reported by the teacher to the main office at 10 am and after the teacher's last class but before 4 pm.

.     The attendance officer will run an attendance report at 10:00 a.m. and at 4:00 pm.

.     The attendance officer will contact the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) by phone regarding an absence. 

.     The attendance officer will place a summary of the previous days absence/tardies in the teacher's box by 12 noon on each day.

.     All absences (excused, unexcused, and approved) are recorded on the student's transcript.

Teachers and/or the attendance secretary will report absences that follow a pattern (before or after a test, before or after an extra-curricular event, before/after a major assignment or project, always on a certain day or a certain period, etc) to the Assistant Director.  The Assistant Director will communicate with the parents, the teacher and student to determine whether a Discipline Hearing is necessary.

    General Information - Uni High students are expected to be in class on a daily basis.  It is the responsibility of the parents or legal guardian/s to see that their children attend school regularly and promptly.  Because classroom participation is an integral part of the learning process and an essential for academic success, absences other than excused absences are highly discouraged.  It is important to realize that family trips and vacations during the school time detract from the quality of education that your child is receiving.  Teachers may require work and tests to be completed prior to the trip.

On the 8th absence and for all absences thereafter, proof of the nature of that absence (which may include a doctor's note) will be required.  Without the necessary proof, even if the absence is designated as excused by the attendance office, the student shall not receive credit for work missed.  The teacher can require make-up work to be completed.

    Eight Absences Per Semester

1.   If a student's absences (excused, unexcused, or approved) exceed 8 per semester in any one course, an academic hearing may be held to determine whether the student is able to earn credit for the course. Uni High follows truancy laws as determined by the State of Illinois. The consequences for unexcused or excessive absences may include legal action through the truancy office at the Regional Office of Education.  In other words, to receive credit one must be in class on a regular basis. 

2.   Family vacations and extensions to Uni vacation time are not excused absences unless an anticipated absence is completed two weeks in advance of the absence. 

3.  Students shall receive no credit for work missed during an unexcused absence.

4.  Students who accumulate more than 8 unexcused absences in one class/semester may be withdrawn from the class.

Excused absences:

1.   School related activities; i.e., field trips.

2.   Religious observation/instruction.

3.   Medical appointments with written proof from the doctor/dentist  (Medical appointments that cannot be arranged for after-school hours and are accompanied by a note from the medical facility or doctor/dentist). These are unexcused until a note is presented to the Attendance Officer. Uni High will accept faxes and e-mails from the medical facility.  Our fax number is: 333-4064.)  

4.   Funeral for family members.

5.   Court appointments with written proof from the court.

6.   Weather related absence with written note from parents.

7.   Counselor or administration conferences.

8.   Illness of the student or serious illness or death in the student's family. 

9.   Unavoidable accident or emergency accompanied by a note from the appropriate persons.

10. Sabbaticals/extended absences with prior administrator approval

    Anticipated Absence Forms/Procedures - When a student must be absent from school, the parent(s)/guardian(s) must send a letter/e-mail/telephone call to the Assistant Director requesting approval (at lease two weeks in advance),  and will be circulated to teachers with an anticipated absence form.  An approved absence means that the teacher will allow the students to make-up the work as determined by the teacher.  Students must make up the work within the same number of days they were absent.

 In some cases, a teacher may require the student to complete the schoolwork prior to the absence or may choose to refuse make-up work or tests.

Seniors may miss three days for college visits accompanied by an anticipated absence form two weeks before the anticipated absence.   (It is suggested that students plan college visits for Spring break, Winter break, long weekends, and summer.)

    Make-Up Work - Students will be allowed to make up for credit all work missed during the excused absence.  Students must make up the work within the same number of days they were absent.  In each instance, the student is responsible for (1) contacting the teacher regarding the work missed and (2) returning the make-up assignments to the teacher at the designated time.  Failure of the student to meet these responsibilities will result in a failing grade for the missing assignments.

    Consequences for Unexcused Absence - University Laboratory High School places a strong emphasis on student participation in classes and believes that students should accept the responsibility for attending classes.  

1.   Unexcused absences will be identified daily after scanning the attendance sheets and checking the student records and the parent calls and letters.  Parents have 24 hours from the time the student returns from the absence to provide proof of the excused absence. 

2.   If students are unexcused because they skip a class, the assistant director will notify the parent or guardian and determine what consequences will result.

3.   If an absence is unexcused then the teacher will not grade or give credit for the make-up work

4.   After 5 unexcused absences (5 periods),  a conference occurs with the student, parent(s)/guardian(s), and the Assistant Director.  The student may lose all privileges for the remainder of the semester including, but not limited to, participation in extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, dances, theatre productions, etc.), free periods, computer usage during non-class time, open campus privileges, lounge privileges, and the privilege to petition out of PE.  Each class missed equals an absence.

5.   After 8 unexcused absences, the student may be placed on Non-Academic Probation for the remainder of the year.  The loss of all privileges will continue the length of the probation. Each class missed equals an absence.

6.   Additional unexcused absences will violate the Non-Academic Probation Agreement and could result in a Disciplinary Review.

7.   One unexcused absence is one period.  Any material missed as a result of an unexcused absence may be given a zero for a grade. 

    Release Time for Religious Observance/Instruction

Religious Observance - Excused Absence

A student shall be released from school, as an excused absence, for the purpose of observing a religious holiday.  The parent(s)/guardian(s) must give written notice to the Assistant Director at least 5 days before the student's anticipated absence.  The parent(s)/guardian(s)' written notification of the student's anticipated absence shall satisfy the school's requirement for an excuse when the student returns to school.  The Assistant Director will notify teachers of the student's impending absence and reason. The student will circulate an Anticipated Absence form at least one week prior to the first day of the absence.  Because this is an excused absence under the mandate of the State of Illinois School Code, students will obtain the make-up procedure from the individual teacher. The State law requires that teachers provide the student an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement.

Religious Instruction - Excused Absence

A student may be released from school for a day or portion of a day for the purpose of religious instruction.  A letter, requesting the student's absence and written by the student's parent(s)/ guardian(s), must be given to the Assistant Director at least 5 days before the day the student is to be absent. The Assistant Director will notify teachers of the student's impending absence and reason.  The student will circulate an Anticipated Absence form at least one week prior to the first day of the absence.  Because this is an excused absence under the mandate of the State of Illinois School Code, student will obtain the make-up procedure from the individual teacher.  The State law requires that teachers provide the student an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement.

    P.E. Attendance Policy - Junior and Senior athletes may petition out of P.E. during their playing season only if they have six other classes scheduled during the playing season.  If they have an unexcused absence from P.E. during the year, they forfeit this privilege.

     Extra-curricular Attendance Policy - Students with an  unexcused absences, may not participate in an extra-curricular event on the day of that absence. For excused and approved absences exceptions to allow for participation in an extra-curricular event may be made in consultation with the sponsor of the activity and the Assistant Director.  Proof of the reason for the absence must be presented and will determine the ability of the student to participate.

    Extended Absences - When a student has been absent for an extended period of time, the Assistant Director may request a conference with the student, parent(s)/guardian(s), teachers, and counselor in order to discuss the student's academic status.  A doctor's certificate will be requested for excessive absences due to illness or accident.

    Leaving During School Hours

1.  Checking out of School - Students may leave the campus during their lunch and free periods.  Please check out in the office if leaving during your free period.  This is a safety precaution that protects the student.  If you are tardy when returning it will be unexcused. Failure to sign out could mean a forfeiture of your open campus privilege.

2.  Release for appointments-If a student must be excused for an appointment, it is expected that the student will return to school following the appointment.  Parents or the individual student should provide transportation to the appointment.  No student will be released to provide transportation for another student.  In order to be excused for an appointment please let us know that the student has an appointment and the approximate time for return.  The student should check out and sign out in the Main Office.  Upon returning to school the student will need to show proof of the appointment-an appointment slip, a doctor's excuse, etc.  With no proof of absence (doctor's slip, etc) the student may not  make up the work missed and will receive no credit for work handed into the teacher.  Make-up work:  each student is responsible to for (1) contacting the teacher regarding the work missed and (2) returning the make-up assignments to the teacher at the designated time.

Failure to check out through the Main Office may result in an unexcused absence/tardy. 

Note:  Each student and parent should realize that the determination of whether the reason for an absence is valid (and therefore an excused absence) rests with the administration of University High School.