Parent Resources - Attendance

Arrival Procedures

At the Upper School, scholars arriving:

• BEFORE 7:45 AM
  • Grades 3-5 should use the GYM ENTRANCE on Internal Driveway.
  • Grades 6-8 should use the BACK ENTRANCE at 66-78 Morris St.
• AFTER 7:45 AM all students should use the MAIN OFFICE ENTRANCE on the Internal Driveway.

ATTENDANCE Students are expected to be present by 7:45 am so they have enough time to be prepared for school and eat if they choose to do so. School begins promptly at 8:00 am.

If a student does not arrive by 8:00 am s/he is considered late to school. Late students are required to get a late pass from the office in order to be admitted to class.

Being late to school robs students of precious educational time. It is also very disruptive to the rest of the class and harms their learning as well. Therefore, tardiness should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Excused Tardiness: Tardies will only be excused for:

Medical appointment (with a doctor’s note)
Another situation that, in the judgment of the school administration, is serious enough to merit excuse.

All other tardies will be considered unexcused, including those related to transportation or taking siblings to school.

Consequences for Unexcused Tardiness:

• Parents will be called each day a student is tardy.
• After 3 tardies, the parents will be required to attend a conference with the Dean.
• For the purposes of truancy court, 3 tardies will be counted as an unexcused absence. Ten or more unexcused absences, either in the form of actual absences or equivalent tardies, will be reported to truancy court.

ABSENCE POLICY Learning can only happen in school if students are present. Therefore, absences should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Excused Absences: Absences that will be excused include:

Student illness (with a doctor’s note)
Medical appointment (with a doctor’s note)
Religious holiday (with parent/guardian note)
Another situation that, in the judgment of the school administration, is serious enough to merit excused status.

In order for a student to be excused, staff must receive written verification of the reason for the absence from a parent/guardian or doctor within two days of the absence. Suspensions will be considered excused absences. If students want to attend a program not sponsored by University Heights Charter School, e.g. a church event, they must bring in a note from a parent and get permission from the principal. Students must also remember to get assignments from all their teachers.

Consequences for Unexcused Absences

• Four unexcused absences are considered excessive. After the fourth unexcused absence, the parent/guardian will need to come to school to meet with a school leader. The parent has the responsibility to meet with the school staff within 5 days of being contacted about the need for a meeting. At the meeting, a written attendance plan will be developed among the three parties. The plan will document the avoidable obstacles to the student’s attendance and the concrete strategies that will be implemented in order to overcome these obstacles. All three parties will sign the plan, pledging to make it a reality. If the parent/guardian or student fails to attend the meeting, the student may be denied other privileges until the meeting takes place.
• After 10 unexcused absences, students will be referred to truancy court, which may include fines of $100 or more per unexcused absence or mandatory attendance improvement program participation.

SNOW DAYS, DELAYED STARTING, AND EARLY DISMISSAL Weather and other emergency conditions may require a delay in the opening of school or an early dismissal. Normally, the decision to close school or to delay opening will be made by 6:15 a.m. on the day in question. When weather is questionable, parents should monitor radio stations carefully. When the decision for a two-hour delayed opening is made, all school-related procedures, i.e., starting times, classes, etc., will be delayed for two full hours. However, school will be dismissed at regular time.

Early closings will be avoided whenever possible. However, when an emergency early closing is decided upon, a calling chain of school staff will attempt to telephone all parents or emergency contacts with the information about the situation. No child will be released unless the parents have been notified of the early release. We ask that parents cooperate with us in emergency situations by being available when these emergency calls are being made.

VISITING POLICY To ensure student safety and minimize class disruption, all visitors, including parents, should adhere to our visitors’ policy as follows:

• Upon entering the building, visitors should sign in with the Security Guard and walk directly to the office.
• If parents are bringing in students late, they should be checked in with the Security Guard and left in the lobby on all days. Staff will escort them to class.
• Office staff will assist visitors with their purpose in visiting. If they cannot address their purpose, they will determine which staff member can best do so and arrange for a meeting.
• At the conclusion of the visit, the visitor should exit directly out of the building, signing out with the Security Guard.
• If a parent seeks to speak to a teacher, the office will make an appointment. If it is urgent, they should see the principal or executive director first, and they will determine if disruption of class is warranted.
• Parents are welcome to schedule times to observe students while in classes. This is particularly helpful when students are having difficulties with adjustment to school, or are presenting behavioral concerns. However, it is important that parents limit observations so they are not excessive. When observing over a span of time, observations will be limited to no more than two times per week.
• If a child is being picked up early, a staff member should retrieve that child. Parents are not permitted to go to classrooms to pick up their children.
• At no time should visitors go directly without staff escort to any room except the office. This includes classrooms and support staff offices.

LEAVING SCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL DAY Scholars should bring a signed note, indicating the time and reason for early dismissal. The note should be handed into the classroom teacher first thing in the morning. Parents should go to the Welcome Desk first in the lobby when picking up scholars. Your child will be sent or brought to the office for you.

DISMISSAL Times and locations for dismissal are as follows:

• Lower School (PreK-Grade 2) will ALL dismiss at 3PM Everyday outside along Lower School side of Hartford St.
• Upper School (Grades 3-8) will dismiss at 4PM Monday-Thursday and 3PM on Friday.
  • Grades 3-5 will dismiss along Upper School Internal Driveway entered on New St.
  • Grades 6-8 will dismiss along Upper School Side of Morris St.

Parents/Guardians should present their placard to pick up scholars at dismissal. After 15 minutes, scholars will return to the main lobby until a parent parks and comes in to pick them up. Every minute after that students are considered late in being picked up. The fee for late pick up is $1 every minute. A staff member will clock the time the parent arrives and parents will sign the late pick up form. An invoice for payment of this late pick up will be mailed to the family.

CUSTODY & RELEASE OF SCHOLARS Unless the principal has been presented with a valid court decision affecting parental rights, both parents will have full rights regarding school-related matters relating to their children.

Scholars will be released only to parents or designated emergency contacts unless written permission for an alternate has been presented to the principal or teacher. In an emergency situation, please call the main office.