Seaholm High School

Attendance Code/Rules/Policies

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Attendance Notifications/Contracts:
Current Attendance Codes

• A = Unexcused Absence/ Parent did not call in the absence; student did not attend class or a combination of both.
• EN = Excused Nonexempt / Parent called in the absence within 24 hours. The reason for the absence is not outlined as one of the factors in the attendance policy to make the absence exempt.
• EE = Excused Exempt –/Parent called in the absence within 24 hours. The reason for the absence is supported by the factors outlined in the attendance policy. 
• TA = Tardy Absence/Student arrived more than 10 minutes late to class.
• PL = Pandemic Learning
• PE = Pandemic Excused
• SA = School Activity

The Board-Approved Excused Exempt (EE)

• Illness with medical documentation;
• Recovery from an accident with medical documentation;
• Required court attendance with court notice;
• Death in the family;
• Observation or celebration of a religious holiday;
• Other absences that may be deemed acceptable by the Superintendent or designee;
• Religious instruction according to M.C.L.A. 380.1561(3d)(3e) (See Policy 5223;)
• If a student is absent for a condition related to an illness/medical condition for which documentation has already been submitted, the parent should reference the documentation when calling in the absence (i.e. migraines, IBS, severe asthma, follow-up medical appointments, etc…).

Extended Absence Requests

• Parents sometimes request to take their children on extended absences (5 days or more). There is a form, Extended Absence Request, that the parent must fill out and submit. Assistant principals will meet to discuss the request. If there is a concern, it will be noted; otherwise, the principal approves the absence and informs the student’s teachers.
• Approved Extended Absence requests are considered Excused Exempt (EE).

Consequences of Excessive and/or Unexcused Absences:

• Students who reach 8 or more absences that are EN or A may be placed on an Attendance Notification by the assistant principal. Before being issued, these notifications will be evaluated for efficacy by the assistant principal and the teachers/counselors involved.
• Exempt Excused absences and School Activity absences will NOT be counted toward the 8 absences that lead to a possible Attendance Notification.
• Teachers should contact the parents prior to the student accumulating 8 absences if these absences are affecting his or her learning in the class.
• If a student violates his or her Attendance Notification, a letter grade of “F” will appear on the transcript and will affect the student’s overall GPA. However, credit may still be earned based on the student demonstrating competency in the course as defined by the district and the class syllabus.
• If a student receives credit, the grade will appear as “FC” on the transcript and it will affect the overall GPA.
• Students will have the right to appeal this decision and remain as a student in the class until the appeal has been heard.

Tardiness

• While events happen to cause occasional tardiness (car trouble, forgetting to set alarm, etc.), these are unacceptable reasons for chronic tardiness.
• After three tardies, teachers should address the student, contact the parent, and may issue a detention.
• If a pattern of tardiness persists (6 or more tardies denotes a pattern of tardiness), teachers may contact the assistant principal for further consequences.

Detentions

• When a student reaches three (3) tardies, the teacher will call home and inform the parent(s) and issue the student a one hour detention. Detentions will take place every Monday from 3-4pm in C109.
• To issue a detention, please email Pio Gonzalez (PGonzalez@birmingham.k12.mi.us) the name and grade of the student and CC the assistant principal in charge of the student.
• On the day of the detention, Pio will then provide the student with a pass as a reminder to attend detention.

Make-Up Work

• Students must make up work for excused absences within a time frame designated by the teacher.
• Students are responsible for securing and completing the assignments.
• At the same time, students must understand that there are classroom experiences that cannot be duplicated and will affect the grade in the class.
• Teachers whose classes contain performances or projects that depend on the classroom setting will need to work with students to find alternate means of assessment to determine the final grade for the course if a student is absent for extended amounts of time.
• When a student is unexcused from a class, he/she will not be given credit for any work missed nor can he/she make up missed tests or quizzes.