Absence Reporting & Attendance Policy

When your child is going to be absent for the day, arriving late, or leaving early, parents must call the school attendance line BY 9:00 AM at 260-489-3537 x 214, or send an email message to [email protected].

Attendance Matters

The Diocesan schools consider the development of good attendance habits as a vital and desirable undertaking for two essential reasons.  First, it is difficult for young people to learn if they are not in class.  Secondly, research shows that educational achievement is directly related to attendance.  A student who misses a day of school misses a day of education that cannot be retrieved in its entirety. 

• Parents must call or send an email by 9 AM of the day the student is absent or coming in late that day.  If the parent does not call in before 9 AM, the attendance clerk will call the parent(s) to verify the location of the child(ren).   By law, the school must report missing children to the police authorities to verify the safety of the student.
• Students arriving up to an hour late will be marked tardy unless they are late due to an excused reason (appointment, etc.)  A student is considered tardy if they are not in their classroom at 7:45. An absence of between one (1) and three (3) hours will be counted as ½ day absence.  If a student is absent for 3 school hours or more, he/she will be considered absent a full day and will not be allowed to participate in any school related extra-curricular activity that day. 
• If a student is absent due to an appointment, he/she will be marked present if a doctor’s note is submitted to the school office and the absence is less than 2 hours.
• By law, the school is not authorized to approve absences for reasons such as travel or vacation trips.  Any absence other than for illness or an emergency is considered a planned absence and is not recognized as an excused absence.  If a planned absence is necessary, parents must document in writing the dates the child will be absent and submit copies to the office and homeroom teacher no less than five (5) days prior to the absence. 
• A child whose absence is counted as excused for illness will be allowed to make up missed schoolwork. Parents should email the child’s teacher to request homework. 
• A letter will be sent to your home noting that your child has been absent a total of 6 days and at 12 days.  These letters are reminders of your child’s attendance record.  Absences totaling 15 days will be referred to the school principal.  Those with unexcused absences totaling 10 or more days may be referred to the Status Offender Court Alternative Program and/or Child Protective Services.

Please review your Student Handbook for additional information and guidelines regarding student attendance.