Attendance

Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make the most of his or her education. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, students and parents should make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences. Additionally, state law mandates compulsory school attendance for children of a certain age, and Harmony Public Schools’ policy deals with attendance for course credit and a student’s final grade. These items are discussed below.

Compulsory Attendance

The state compulsory attendance law requires that a student between the ages of 6 and 19 must attend school and school-required tutorial sessions unless the student is otherwise legally exempted or excused. School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent from school without permission from any class, from required special programs, or from required tutorials will be considered “truant” and subject to disciplinary action.

Students enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten and/or Kindergarten are required to attend school and are subject to compulsory attendance requirements as long as they remain enrolled.

A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her 19th birthday is required to attend each school day. If a student 19 years of age or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, the school may revoke the student’s enrollment, except that Harmony Public Schools may not revoke the enrollment on a day on which the student is physically present at school. The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespassing. Prior to revoking the student’s enrollment, the school shall issue a warning letter to the student after the third unexcused absence stating that the student’s enrollment may be revoked for the remainder of the school year if the student has more than five unexcused absences in a semester. As an alternative to revoking enrollment, Harmony Public Schools may impose a behavior improvement plan.

Notice to Parents

Under Texas Education Code § 25.095(a), you are hereby notified that if a student is absent from school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in any one school year or is absent for three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the student’s parent is subject to prosecution under Texas Education Code § 25.093 and the student is subject to referral to a truancy court for truant conduct under Texas Family Code § 65.003(a).

Harmony Public Schools shall notify a student’s parent if the student has been absent from school, without excuse, on three days or parts of days within a four-week period. The notice will inform the parent that it is the parent’s duty to monitor the student’s school attendance and require the student to attend school; the student is subject to truancy prevention measures under Texas Education Code § 25.0915; and that a conference between school officials and the parent is needed to discuss the absences.

Unless your student is specifically exempt from compulsory attendance, your student will be placed in our Truancy Prevention Measure (TPM) program at their campus to address your student’s attendance.

Attendance for Credit or Final Grade

To receive credit or a final grade in a class, a student must attend at least 90% of the days the class is offered. These include both excused and unexcused absences.

A student who attends for at least 75 percent, but fewer than 90% of the days class is offered may be referred to a campus Attendance Review Committee to determine whether there are extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the student can regain credit or earn a final grade.

In determining whether there are extenuating circumstances for an absence, the Attendance Review Committee will use the following guidelines.

• All absences will be reviewed, with consideration given to special circumstances discussed in the Texas Education Code. For a student transferring into Harmony Public Schools after school begins, including a migrant student, only those absences after enrollment will be considered.
• In reaching a consensus about a student’s absences, the committee will attempt to ensure that its decision is in the best interest of the student.
• The committee will consider whether the absences were for reasons over which the student or parent could exercise control.
• The committee will consider the acceptability and authenticity of documentation expressing reasons for the student’s absences.
• The committee will consider the extent to which the student has completed all assignments, mastered the essential knowledge and skills, and maintained passing grades in the course or subject.
• The student, parent, or other representative will be given an opportunity to present any information to the committee about the absences and to discuss ways to earn or regain credit.

If credit is lost or a final grade is not earned because of excessive absences, the Attendance Review Committee will decide how the student may regain credit or earn a final grade. If the committee determines that there are no extenuating circumstances and that credit may not be regained or a final grade may not be earned, the student and/or parent may appeal the decision by filing a written request with the Campus Principal within 15 days of the last day of the semester. The appeal will then be placed on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The Campus Principal or designee shall inform the student or parent of the date, time, and place of the meeting.

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Driver’s License Attendance Verification

To obtain or renew a driver’s license, a student under 18 years of age must annually provide to the Texas Department of Public Safety a form obtained from the school verifying that the student has met the requirements set forth by state regulation. Eligible students may obtain the required Verification of Enrollment form from the main office.

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Absence and Tardiness

Absence in General

When a student must be absent from school, parents are asked to call the school each day the student will be absent. Upon returning to school, it is mandatory that the student bring a note from a parent explaining the absence. The Principal or designated school administrator will have final approval as to if the absence will be excused. Notes must be received within three days of the absence or the absence will be unexcused. A note signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission, will not be accepted.

All assignments missed will be due on the day the student returns to school unless otherwise arranged with teachers or the Dean of Student Culture. Any absence not approved in advance will be unexcused.

Because excessive absences are considered truancy under state law, the school reserves the right to take extreme absence cases to court.

Types of Absences

The school recognizes two kinds of absences: excused and unexcused. Students and parents should read this section carefully to understand the school’s expectations. Students and parents should also be aware of the school’s policy regarding homework, quizzes, and tests following an absence.

Excused Absences

Students may be excused for temporary absence resulting from any cause acceptable to the Principal. As discussed above, students must provide a written explanation for the absence and the absence must be approved by the Principal to be excused. The excuse will be filed in the attendance office and become part of the student’s record.

An absence will be considered excused if the absence is for one or more of the following reasons:

• An absence resulting from a serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes the student’s attendance infeasible, if the student or the student’s parent provides a certification from a physician licensed to practice medicine in Texas specifying the student’s illness and the anticipated period of the student’s absence relating to the illness or related treatment.
• An absence for a student who is 15 years of age or older to visit a driver’s license office to obtain a driver’s license or learner license, provided that more than one day of school may not be excused during the period the student is enrolled in high school for the purpose of (i) obtaining a driver’s license or (ii) obtaining a learner license, and the school verifies the student’s visit to the driver’s license office in accordance with procedures adopted by Harmony Public School.
• Personal illnesses that do not exceed three consecutive days. Illnesses that extend beyond three days will require a doctor’s note.
• Family emergency or illness. **
• Quarantine of the home. (Medical Note Needed)
• Bereavement of a family member. **
• Observing religious holy days.
• Juvenile court proceeding documented by a probation officer.
• Appearing at a governmental office to complete paperwork required in connection with the student’s application for United States citizenship.
• Student participation in a United States naturalization oath ceremony.
• Documented health care appointments (including absence for recognized services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders) for the student or the student’s child, if the student begins classes or returns to school on the same day as the appointment.
• Serving as an election clerk.
• Required screening, diagnosis, and treatment for Medicaid-eligible students.
• Documented college visits by junior or senior students. A student will not be excused for this purpose for more than two days during the student’s junior year and two days during the student’s senior year.
• Career investigation days by junior or senior students for purposes of determining the student’s interest in pursuing a career. A student will not be excused for this purpose for more than two days during the student’s junior year and two days during the student’s senior year.
• Temporary absence resulting from any cause acceptable to the student’s teacher, Principal, or Superintendent.
• For students in the conservatorship (custody) of the state who need to attend (1) an activity required under a court-ordered service plan, or (2) any other court-ordered activity, provided it is not practicable to schedule the student’s participation in the activity outside of school hours.

**The number of days allowed is at the discretion of the Principal or designated school administrator.

The school will also excuse a student from attending school for travel under the following circumstances:

• Observing religious holy days; For purposes of excusing a student from attending school to observe a religious holy day, Harmony may not require documentation from a clergy member or other religious leader, and shall accept a note from the student’s parent verifying the purpose of the student’s absence.
• Attending a required court appearance;
• Appearing at a governmental office to complete paperwork required in connection with the student’s application for United States citizenship;
• Taking part in a U.S. naturalization oath ceremony; or
• Serving as an election clerk.

Any student participating in an activity listed above will be allowed one day’s excused absence for traveling to the activity and one day’s excused absence for returning from the activity.

Unexcused Absences

Any absence not listed above will be considered an unexcused absence. Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to:

• Failure to bring a written note within three school days following an absence;
• Leaving school without the permission of the Principal/ Dean of Student Culture;
• Walking out of class; and
• Receiving a pass to report to a certain school area and failing to report.

Make-Up Work

A student must submit an “excused absence slip” to be eligible for make-up work. Students who are absent for school-related reasons or for an anticipated or planned absence must make arrangements for make-up assignments prior to the absence.

For any class missed, the teacher may assign make-up work based on the instructional objectives for the subject or course and the student’s needs in mastering the essential knowledge and skills or in meeting subject or course requirements.

Students are responsible for obtaining and completing make-up work in a satisfactory manner and within the time specified by the teacher.

Students should receive credit for satisfactory makeup work after an absence. They may receive a zero as a placeholder until missed work is completed and turned in.

If a student misses a test due to an excused absence, a make-up test will be scheduled by the teacher. Students are responsible for taking the test at that time. Teachers are not obligated to reschedule a makeup exam.

Students may not make up work following an unexcused absence. An unexcused absence may result in an “F” or grade of 0% for each assignment missed.

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Tardy Policy

The school’s tardy policy has been developed to emphasize the importance of each student arriving on time to school every day and remaining in the classroom for the entire period. Learning personal responsibility by arriving at school and class on time is an integral part of the school’s standard of excellence, which helps prepare students for success.

Tardiness interrupts instructional time. Students should be inside the classroom by the school’s announced start time. If a student is more than 20 minutes late to any class, he/she will be counted absent for the period. A student arriving after this time must first report to the front office and obtain a tardy slip. Tardiness to school will be unexcused, unless the student arrives to campus late for one of the following reasons:

• Attendance at a required court appointment
• Appointment with a doctor, dentist, or other healthcare provider
• Inclement Weather (Principal’s Approval Needed).

During the first few days of school, the school will be working with the students, focusing on getting organized and arriving to class on time. This Tardy Policy will become effective on the 10th day of school.

The student’s responsibility is to move quickly and safely through the school's hallway and report to class before the tardy bell rings. It is the student’s responsibility to BE ON TIME to class!

The parent’s responsibility is to discuss the school’s tardy policy with their child, reinforcing the student’s ability to be responsible for arriving to class on time and most importantly, it is the parent’s responsibility to bring the student to school on time.

Note: Parents who bring their children to school after the 1st period tardy bell rings, must park their car, enter the building and sign their child in at the front office. This rule does not apply to students who meet the following conditions: students who are 18 years or older, students 16 years or older who drive themselves to school, and approved students who walk to school.

Consequences for arriving late to school for students whose parents drive to school

Consequences for arriving late to school for students who drive themselves to school

Consequences for tardiness to class

The Principal and/or Dean of Student Culture may substitute alternative disciplinary consequences for habitually tardy students.

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Dismissal Policy

Students should be picked up no later than thirty minutes after dismissal each day. Students should not be in the corridors, at their lockers, or in the school building later than ten minutes following dismissal time unless accompanied by a staff member. Students must follow all school rules during dismissal time.

Dismissal/Pick Up Information Form

Parents must fill out a form provided by the after-school coordinator to provide dismissal information about their child. The school is not responsible for students who leave campus without written permission from an administrator. Students are not allowed to loiter in front of neighboring businesses and/ or school grounds. Disciplinary action will be taken against students who leave and return to campus without having written permission from an administrator.

Loitering

Students are not allowed to remain on campus unsupervised after designated dismissal times. The school will not have adult supervision after school hours. A student who remains on campus unsupervised after dismissal time may be subject to state criminal trespass laws.

Disciplinary consequences for remaining on campus unsupervised after designated dismissal times within a school year are as follows:

Additionally, students who have not been picked up after the designated dismissal time may be placed in the school’s after school program. Parents of these students will be responsible for all fees incurred as a result of such placement, as allowed by applicable law.

Early Dismissal from School

In all instances of early dismissal, the following precautions are taken to ensure student safety:

Approval of a parent is required in all instances of early dismissal. The Principal may release a student before the end of a school day only upon presentation of a written or face-to-face request from a parent (no telephone calls), or for reasons of emergency. Students may be released only to a parent whose signature is on file in the school office or to a properly identified person, authorized in writing by the parent to act on his or her behalf.

A student over the age of 18 years of age may be released “on his or her own” only with verified parental permission. No staff member shall permit or cause a student to leave school prior to the regular dismissal time, except with the knowledge and approval of the Principal and parent.

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Withdrawal from School

Voluntary Withdrawal

A parent wishing to withdraw a student from school should notify the school at least 24 hours in advance. By providing this information in advance, parents help facilitate the withdrawal process. A withdrawal form may be obtained from the school registrar’s office. The Principal or other administrator will verify the information on the withdrawal form when the parent arrives to sign withdrawal papers to complete the process. The parent shall also provide the name of the new school in which the student will be enrolled, and must sign the formal withdrawal request to document that the student will continue to be enrolled in a school as required by compulsory attendance laws. On the student’s last day, a copy of the withdrawal form will be given to the student and a copy placed in the student’s permanent record. The student will also be provided with a copy of the completed withdrawal form showing the student’s grades earned to date to provide to his or her new school.

A student who is 18 years of age or older, who is married, or who has been declared by a court to be an emancipated minor may withdraw without a parent’s signature.

Withdrawing students and parents are expected to:

• Return all textbooks and checked-out materials and equipment;
• Complete any make-up work assigned;
• Pay any unpaid balance for student fees, if any; and
• Sign a release of student records.

Involuntary Withdrawal

The school may initiate withdrawal of a student under the age of 18 for nonattendance under the following conditions:

• The student has been absent ten consecutive school days; and
• Repeated efforts by the attendance officer and/or Principal to locate the student have been unsuccessful.

Additionally, Harmony Public Schools may revoke the enrollment of a student 19 years of age or older who has more than five unexcused absences in one semester.

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