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Swan Valley Regional Secondary School Attendance Policy

The following interventions and procedures are designed to emphasize the importance of regular
attendance and its effect on successful learning. Explained absences, Excused absences and Truants
are defined below along with the stages of communication and procedures involved in the SVRSS
Attendance Policy. Administration has the discretion to review cases on an individual basis where
serious illness, compassionate or personal circumstance are the reason for a student missing school.
EXPLAINED ABSENCE
An explained absence is one that is verified by the Parent/Guardian prior to the absence or within Two
School Days immediately after. When the number of explained absences in a particular course brings
into question a student’s ability to attain the minimum requirement for that course, the school will take
the appropriate interventions and procedures as outlined in the attendance policy. Notification by
Parent/Guardian may include any one of the following: a phone call, a signed note or an email with
reason clearly stated, prior to, on the day of, or within Two School Days of the absence.
When a student is absent from school, it is the student’s responsibility to complete all missed work,
notes, and assignments. Eligibility for extensions or rewrites will be at the discretion of the teacher and
administration.
EXCUSED ABSENCE
All school sponsored activities including suspensions will be considered as an excused absence. It is the
responsibility of the coach/supervisor/administration to inform the office of any excused absence so
that their attendance is coded accordingly.
TRUANT
Any absence that is not verified by a Parent/Guardian/or School by phone call, email or signed note.
STUDENT LATE POLICY
A student entering class after the scheduled start time will be considered late to class. Arriving late for
class has a negative impact on the student’s learning. The student may be referred to the SVRSS
administration to decide next steps.
EXPLAINED LATE
An explained late is one that is verified by the Parent/Guardian with an explanation as to why the
student is late to class. They will have the rest of the current school day to provide explanation.
NOTE: ATTENDANCE WILL BE TAKEN WITHIN THE FIRST TEN MINUTES OF EACH LESSON.
LATE
Students will be marked L - late when they come into class after the teacher has taken attendance
within the first ten minutes of the lesson.
LEFT CLASS – New code
Student will be marked as LC if they leave class for a period of time without the teacher's permission or
if they are gone for more than 50% of the class time without permission. If this continues in school
suspensions will be explored as a process to compensate the missing class time and a parent meeting.
WEATHER - NO BUSSES - New code
When SVSD cancels busses due to weather students will be coded as W – (No Bus)
Changes to SVSD Weather - Transportation Policies
Current:
On wind chill days, although bus service may be cancelled, schools are considered to be open and all
staff will report for work at their school as usual. Students are also expected to attend school.
Change:
On wind chill days, although bus service may be cancelled, schools are considered to be open and all
staff will report for work at their school as usual. Student are expected to attend but parents can use
their discretion and if their child is not going to attend parents must contact the school to have them
excused.
Current:
For individual bus cancellations, school is considered to be open and all staff will report for work at their
school as usual. Students are also expected to attend school.
Change:
For individual bus cancellations, school is considered to be open and all staff will report for work at their
school as usual. Students are also expected to attend school, however those students affected by the
bus cancellations will be excused if their parents notify the school that they will not be attending.
SVRSS ATTENDANCE INTERVENTIONS AND PROCEDURES
*Note: This Attendance policy is on a per class basis.
3 truants – Student/Teacher conference will be held to encourage the student and to discuss the
importance of regular attendance.
7 truants – Parent/guardian will be contacted by the teacher as a reminder of the importance of regular
attendance. Parents will be reminded of the correlation between good attendance and positive results.
Teachers will notify administration and record attendance concerns.
12 truants – Automatic referral by teacher through school email to the Learning Support Team to
discuss options with student and parent/guardian.
• A letter will be sent home from administration and a copy will be added to student’s CUM file
with a record of interventions to date.
• A meeting with the student, parent/guardian, Learning Support Team and teachers will be
scheduled within one week.
• Further community supports will be explored if unable to make contact and a meeting is not
scheduled.
• An attendance contract will be implemented.
17 truants – Automatic referral by teacher through school email to the Learning Support Team to
discuss options with student and parent/guardian.
• A letter will be sent home from administration and a copy will be added to student’s CUM file
with a record of interventions to date.
• The student’s course of study will be evaluated, and changes will be made regarding
programming. Such as: Home study, Half-day of classes or Alternate Programming.
Excused and Explained absences are not part of this process. If a teacher feels that excused
and/or explained absences are negatively impacting a student’s grade, then a call will be
made to the parent and SVRSS Administration noting the concern.
Students attending Alternate Education Programs will be dealt with on an individual basis.