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MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Morristown, New Jersey 07960
Policy |
| File Code: |
5113-R |
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It is understood that Morris School District has a number of resources available to assist each principal in establishing building procedures for minimizing pupil absences. Pupil and parent/guardian contacts are made by school secretaries, nurses, child study team members, guidance counselors and other administrative support persons.
In addition, the principal of each school shall notify parents/guardians of pupil absences by following these procedures.
- Send a copy of the Board of Education Attendance Policy to parents/guardians of pupils attending the school prior to the first day of school each school year.
- Send a letter home notifying the parent/guardian that the child has been absent from school 8 days.
- Send a letter home notifying the parent/guardian that the child has been absent from school 12 days. A copy of the Board of Education attendance policy should be enclosed.
- Send a letter home notifying the parent/guardian that the child has exceeded the number of absences allowed by the Board of Education. At this point, parents/guardians may request an opportunity to meet with the building attendance review committee to present reasons why any, or all, of the days absent should be waived.
- The building attendance committee will make appropriate recommendations to the principal.
- The building principal will determine the disposition of each pupil's attendance record and notify all parties involved.
Missing Children
- Early dismissal
Parents/guardians should be discouraged from requesting an early release for their child. Whenever it becomes necessary for a child to leave school before the normal dismissal time, the building administrator shall be guided by the following procedures.
- No child shall be released to anyone without the consent of the parent/guardian having custody.
- All early dismissal requests shall require a review of the child's cumulative record to verify child custody rights.
- Whenever the principal has reason to question the validity of an early dismissal request, he/she shall contact the parent/guardian to verify the request.
- All children in grades kindergarten through eight shall be released directly to the parent/guardian or to the person designated by the parent/guardian.
- Unexcused/unexplained absences
Whenever a pupil is absent from school, a note from the parent/guardian is required. In addition, the building principal shall establish appropriate measures in verifying pupil absences, i.e., daily telephone contacts, review of parent/guardian notes and signature.
- Withdrawal from school
Whenever a pupil is withdrawn from school for more than 15 days and no official request has been made to forward school records, the principal shall inform the local police department and the division of youth and family services.
- Enrollment/Registration data
Whenever a pupil's name appears on the roll in September and pupil is not in attendance by the 10th day of the school, the principal shall make every effort to contact the pupil's home via telephone, written correspondence, and/or a formal referral to the district's attendance officer.
- Reporting missing children
Whenever the building principal makes a determination that a missing persons situation exists, he/she shall notify the local police department and the division of youth and family services. A written report of this action shall be kept on file in the principal's office and a copy of such shall be forward to the Superintendent' office.
Pupil Absence Because of Religious Holidays
According to the New Jersey law regarding pupil absence from school because of religious holidays, the Commissioner of Education, with the approval of the state Board of Education, is charged with the responsibility of prescribing such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the law.
The law provides that:
- No pupil who is absent from school because of a religious holiday may be deprived of any award or of eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award because of such absence;
- If a pupil misses a test or examination because of a religious holiday, he/she must be given the right take an alternative test or examination;
- To be entitled to the privileges set forth above, the pupil must present a written excuse, signed by a parent/guardian;
- Any absence because of a religious holiday must be recorded in the school register or in any group or class attendance record as an "excused absence";
- Such absence must not be recorded on any transcript or application, employment form or any similar form;
- The commissioner, with the approval of the state Board of Education is required:
- To prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this act;
- To prepare a list of religious holidays on which it shall be mandatory to excuse a pupil. The list, however, is to be a minimum list. The Board of Education, at its discretion, may add other days to the list for the schools of its districts.
The Board of Education has the right to add any bona fide religious holiday to the list for its own schools. Not every parent/guardian will ask for his/her child to be excused on every day listed as a religious holiday for members of that faith. A parent/guardian may ask for an excuse for only some of the days listed. It will be observed that there are times when the religious holidays of more than one faith will fall on the same day.
Late Arrivals Due to Transportation Problems
Authorized bus pupils are not to be marked as "tardy" if their school buses deliver them to school after the start of the regular session. Neither are the pupils to be penalized in any way for their late arrival if the delay is the result of transportation problems beyond their control.
Date: April 14, 1986
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