State Compulsory Attendance Law (Utah Code Sec. 53A-11-101) directs parents to require their school-age minor children to be enrolled in and attend school. District policy allows parents to excuse students from attendance only when the student is ill or the family has an emergency. It is the expectation of the court that students within its jurisdiction will be in regular attendance at the school in which they are enrolled. It is the intent of the law to prosecute for truancy, those students who are habitually absent without allowable excuse. New legislation also allows for prosecution of parents whose students are truant. Those in violation will be referred to school administration, receiving center, youth court, attendance mediation, juvenile court, or may receive a non-voluntary transfer to the district’s alternative high school. The school will do all in its power to deter truant behavior. Any work missed due to absences must be made up within 3 school days of returning to school. No makeup work will be accepted from students deemed truant.
Any student who chooses not to conform to this policy may receive a non-voluntary transfer to the adult high school.
Absence: An absence is defined as any time a student is not in attendance in the class to which he or she has been assigned. A parent is required to notify the school of an absence prior to/or on the day of the absence. An answering machine will allow parents to notify the school of the absence. There are three categories of absence:
1) Exempt. These are absences wherein a student is involved in educational travel requested by parents and which are accompanied by a signed pre-excuse form, which is available in the office. When educational travel is requested, contact must be made with the vice-principal for approval to turn in an educ. report upon completion of travel. Requests for Education travel will be approved only one time per year. A request is also needed for homebound illnesses not to exceed 2 weeks in duration. These situations will not be considered absent if policy is followed.
2) Excused: Absences for the following reasons will be considered excused only upon condition that prior notice is given to the school by parents. Excuses after the absence will not be accepted unless circumstances indicate special consideration be given in individual rare cases. Only the vice-principal or principal may make exceptions to this policy. Acceptable reasons for excused absence are: illness, death in the immediate family, court, quarantine, natural or man-made disasters, dental or medical appointment (must be accompanied by written note from doctor or dentist confirming the appointment was kept), emergencies at home, or any other highly unusual reason for absence. Hair appointments, shopping trips, hunting, and avoidable instances, are not considered appropriate reasons for absence from school and though the school will honor a parent’s request to take the student from school under such circumstances, such inappropriate absences will be considered unexcused on school rolls. Also, the school may investigate any case in which an excused absence is requested. If a pattern of excessive absences is established, school administration may deny further requests to excuse students and may impose referrals to receiving center, youth court, attendance mediation, juvenile court, social services, or may make an involuntary transfer to the alternative school. All actions are made in the best interest of the student and his/her educational opportunities and are intended as a means to safeguard a student’s educational opportunities, not as punishment.
3) Truant. When a student is absent from school and a parent does not give the school prior notice as required for an exempt or excused absence, the absence will be considered truancy. Prior notice of an absence is an excellent job skill and will be taught through the enforcement of this policy. When a student leaves campus without checking out in the office, truancy will result and cannot be cleared for any reason. Work missed due to truancy cannot be made up and will affect the student’s academic grade.
Acceptable Reasons for Absence
Senior College Day: Each Senior is authorized two excused absences to explore post secondary training institutions of their choosing anytime during the school year. Such absences must be requested through pre-excuse forms found in the office.
Released Time: Any parent may request released time for any student to pursue personal religious study during the school day. Such study must take place off the school campus and must be under the organized direction of parents or religious organizations. Requests for released time may be made to the school counselor or principal.
Consequences:
Absences: The equivalent of 8 absences in a class during the same Quarter, whether excused or not, will result in the withholding of credit for that class period. An NG (no grade) for that class period will appear on the next report card. The grade and credit will be restored when restitution is complete. An NG counts as a non-passing grade for eligibility. A withheld grade does not influence the GPA but will exempt a student from inclusion on the honor or high honor roll. If not restored, it will affect credit required for graduation and eligibility to participate in extra curricular activities. Credit lost due to this policy may require make-up classes. Costs associated with these makeup courses will be the student’s responsibility and will not be subject to fee waiver.
Eligibility: Any absence (even excused) the day of an extra curricular activity will result in loss of right to participate in that day’s extracurricular event.
Parent Notification: Parents will be notified by letter after the sixth absence from any class. Additional notice is mailed every other week. This procedure will be repeated each Semester. Parents/students will be notified in writing by the attendance office each grading period a grade is withheld due to attendance problems. Waivable Absences and Waiver Procedures: A two-week period at the end of a Quarter is open wherein requests of attendance waivers may be submitted to the Asst. Principal. Notice of acceptance or denial will be mailed home. Parents and students may inquire about and request records of a student’s attendance from the office at any time. Overall attendance is carefully reviewed as well as the daily responsibility each parent has to notify the school for EACH AND EVERY ABSENCE.
Restitution Classes: Restitution opportunities are held early morning class on specified Tuesdays, or as approved by Administration. Restitution class will be conducted as a study hall. Students will be required to engage in some academic pursuit. If no homework or makeup work is necessary, READING is an excellent activity. Students who do not come with meaningful work will not be admitted. Students who are late will be turned away. The class supervisor will keep a roll, signed by students in attendance and provide documentation to the school attendance secretary. Attendance at restitution classes will be required in order to earn the release of grades and credits withheld. One hour of restitution class will allow for the removal of one hour of time or the equivalent, from one class period. When all restitution in a class has been satisfied, the academic grade will be restored and credit issued. An option is also available to pay $10 per hour that is owed. The responsibility for making up Restitution is up to the student. An initial information mailing will notify parents of required Restitution. One additional mailing, if necessary, will be done prior to the end of the next Quarter. Seniors must complete owed restitution before Graduation Day to receive diploma or certificate.
Deadlines for restitution: 1st Semester must be made up by midterm of the 2nd Semester, 2nd Semester restitution must be made up by the end of June.
Suspension: Every effort will be made by the school to keep students in school. Suspensions from school will be administered in only the rarest of situations. An alternative to suspension may be made available if a parent is willing to attend school with the offending student. Principal approval is needed for this course of action.
Tardy: No tardy is acceptable. Reporting to class after the bell to start class has sounded is considered a tardy. All tardy students report directly to class and the teacher will be responsible for monitoring and reporting to the office.
Consequences:
- A student more than 20 minutes late will be considered absent.
- Also, on the fifth tardy, one hour of tardy recovery will be required. For each tardy thereafter, they will owe an additional 1/2 hour. The student will be required to make-up his/her tardy recovery the next possible offering*.Grades will be withheld until the recovery time is completed.Tardy recovery will be held on specified Tuesdays of each month from 6:30 – 7:30 A.M. (The door locks at 6:30).
*Tardy recovery time accumulated at the end of 4th quarter will be offered during the month of June. Contact office for specific dates and times.
A “Code of Ethics” governs Richfield High School. This code enables each student the opportunity to learn in a positive learning conducive environment. We at RHS feel that behavior is an attitude, which begins with Responsibility: responsibility for behavior at home, then reinforced at school, and is applied throughout life. A student entering a classroom late is not only disruptive to the learning environment, but the student is also missing important instruction.
Time Limit: Deadlines for restitution: 1st Semester must be made up by the midterm of the 2nd Semester, 2nd Semester must be made up by the end of June. If restitution is not completed in this time, a withheld grade will an NG by the attendance office. Significant loss of credit will result in the loss of eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities, or affect required credit for graduation. Two incomplete grades will result in loss of eligibility.
