Attendance Policy
Our building opens and breakfast begins at 6:50 AM. Classroom instruction begins at 7:15 AM. Students arriving to school after 7:15 A.M. are considered tardy and the parent/guardian must check the student in at the front office and receive an admissions note from the secretary/clerk before going to the classroom.
An essential ingredient in the academic success of every student in South Christian Elementary School is regular and punctual attendance. The Christian County Schools Code of Acceptable Behavior Handbook contains specific standards of attendance expected and required of all students in the Christian County School system for grades K-12.
Parents should be especially aware of the state COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE LAW KRS 159.010 AND KRS 159.180, which states that the parent/guardian is responsible for keeping his/her child in regular school attendance. Valid reasons for student absence, required explanations for student absence and other regulations are outlined in code.
Perfect attendance for the year will require a student having no absences and 2 or fewer tardies. If your child has not missed a day, but has more than 2 tardies, he/she will not have perfect attendance.
PROCEDURES FOR WHEN A STUDENT IS ABSENT
When a student has been absent from school for any reason,
*He/She shall bring a note to the teacher on the day they return to school. *The note must be dated and signed. Please put your child's first and last name on the excuse. *The note should state the reason for the absence. In case of a medical appointment, the parent should request a written excuse from the medical professional and send that statement to the school with the student. If the written note is not received from the student within five (5) days of the absence, the absence will be unexcused.
If a student is sent home from school by the school nurse, it does not count against the parent or require a parent note for that day only.
EXCUSED ABSENCES
Notes from the parent/guardian shall be accepted and absences excused for up to six (6) days only for the seven (7) valid reasons. A note from a medical professional will not be counted as one of the six (6) days. Once those six (6) days are used, any other absence, without an excuse from a medical professional, will be recorded as unexcused. Three (3) unexcused absences designates a student as truant. A student who has been reported as truant two (2) or more times is considered a habitual truant.
The seven (7) valid reasons given by the state Compulsory Attendance Laws are:
*Illness of the student
*Death in family (student must provide a copy of the obituary)
*Appointment with medical professional (child only)
*Court Order (a statement from the court system must be presented for the student to be excused for a reasonable amount of time).
*Drivers Test
*One day for attendance to the Kentucky State Fair
*Other valid reasons as determined by the Principal
TARDINESS/TRUANCY DEFINED
Tardies can be as serious as absences. Three (3) unexcused tardies shall be equivalent to one (1) unexcused absence.
A tardy is any time a child comes in late (after 7:15 a.m.) or checks out early (prior to 2:20 p.m.) without a valid excuse.
Any student who has been absent from school, without a valid excuse, for three (3) or more days or has been tardy, without a valid excuse, on three (3) or more days is considered truant. A student who has been reported as truant two (2) or more times is considered a habitual truant.
Additional information concerning truancy guidelines and regulations may be found in the Christian County Code of Acceptable Behavior Handbook.