• ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE PROCEDURES

    Student Attendance

    In accordance with state law, all children between 6 and 18 years of age must attend school full time until the end of the school term quarter or semester in which they reach eighteen (18) years of age unless they have a legal excuse or have graduated.

    Upon the child's request and with the written approval of the child's parent or guardian, any child who is 16 years of age may be excused by the school board from regular school attendance if the child and his or her parent or guardian agree, in writing, that the child will participate in a program or curriculum modification, leading to the child’s high school graduation or a high school equivalency diploma. Any student who is excused from regular school attendance under the law, has the right to be readmitted to school upon request as long as the student remains of school age. The board shall specifically inform the student who is excused from regular school attendance of this right for re-admittance.

    A child, 18 years of age or older, requesting withdrawal from school attendance must wait until the beginning of the next semester to return to school.

    Upon the child’s request of the school board and with the written approval of the child’s

    parent/guardian, any child who is 16 years of age or over and a child at risk, as defined by state law, may attend, in lieu of high school or on a part-time basis, a technical college if the child and the parent/guardian agree, in writing, that the child will participate in a program leading to the child’s high school graduation.

    Students shall be required to attend school regularly and punctually as prescribed by state

    statutes. Student attendance enforcement shall be in accordance with state and established

    procedures.

    Students who are not in attendance as per ss118.15 will be referred for habitual truancy to the appropriate authority. If the student continues to be truant and does not attend for 20

    consecutive school days, the student will be exited from the district using the proper ISIS code. The board of education recognizes the obligation to educate the students in the School District of Ashland and the district is ready, willing, and able to do so when the student chooses to return.

    An eligible student shall be exempt from school attendance if his parents petition the board of education for attendance exemption based upon a health deferment prepared by a medical doctor licensed to practice in the State of Wisconsin.

    Students and their parents/guardians have the right to request the school board to provide the student with program or curriculum modifications as outline in section 118.15(1)(d) of the state statutes; and the decision-making process to be used in responding to such requests under sections 118.15(1)(dm) and (e) of the state statutes.

    Students are expected to be in school except in cases of emergency or for reasons as explained in the code below:

    1) Absences from any class, or lunch period without authorized excuse will be considered an unexcused absence and an act of truancy. (State Statute 118.5)

    • From the time school commences in the morning until it closes in the afternoon, all students will be assigned to work stations during the school day. During classes no students are allowed in the commons, the halls, or around the outside of the building except where specifically authorized.

    3) Parents may expect to be notified when a student skips a class.

    • It is recommended that parents provide the middle school office with a work phone number so that immediate communication can take place if an emergency arises.

    5) Absences for the following reasons will be considered excused and the student will be responsible for making up work missed:

    - Personal illness (includes medical appointments)

    - Family emergency

    • Requests to be absent for other reasons should be presented in writing, in person, or by telephone by a parent or guardian prior to the absence so that the Principal/Attendance Officer may determine whether the absence is excused or unexcused.
    • General attendance accounting will be handled by the office according to the following procedures. Students absent from school should do the following:
      1. Have the parent or guardian notify the school of the absence by telephone or note, giving the student's name, date of absence, and reason for absence. Notification should be in advance for any absence other than personal illness or family emergency,
      2. Obtain a Pre-Arranged Absence form from the office for all absences (other than for illness or family emergency) of two or more consecutive school days. This form should be completed, signed by each of the student's teachers and returned to the office prior to the absence.
        1. Parents are encouraged to call the office on the morning their child is absent to avoid unexcused absences.

    "Truancy" means any absence of part or all of one or more days from school during which the school Attendance Officer or Principal has not been notified of the legal cause of such absence by the parent or guardian of the absent pupil, and also means intermittent attendance carried on for the purpose of defeating the intent of.” See 118.15 \ref see 93802(18m), 118.16(1)(c)

    Calling In An Absence

    Parents and guardians may call 682-7087 at any time to report their student's absence; during non-business hours, consult the school phone directory for the proper extension. Please use this voice service to report illness, and medical appointments only. All other absences should be reported directly to a member of the office staff, not left in messages.

    Please include the following information: name of caller and relationship to student; name of student and grade; reason for absence; duration of absence.

    The School District of Ashland is now using “The School Messenger” program which is a telephone calling system. The Ashland Middle School will utilize this calling system daily to alert parents that their child is absent from school if the school has not received a phone call reporting their child’s absence previously.

    Habitual Truant

    "Habitual Truant" is defined under Wisconsin Statutes as a pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for part or all of five or more days on which school is held during the school semester (ref. Sec. 938 02(9m), 118 16(1) (a). To prevent a student from becoming a "habitual truant" the following truancy prevention procedures may be implemented: counseling, detentions, or In-school suspensions, in conjunction with tutoring and meetings with a parent or guardian.

    When a student becomes a "habitual truant" a certified or registered letter will be sent to the parent or guardian and the student will be referred to the Department of Social Services or the District Attorney. Habitual truants may not be in the building or attend school activities after regular school hours except for detentions assigned by an administrator. Habitual truants are not permitted to participate in any co-curricular activity.

    Early Release

    If a student becomes ill, or for some reason needs to leave before the end of the school day, the student should follow the following procedure:

    • The student should report to the health office first.
    • If reasons submitted are valid concerning illness, the student should call his/her parent/guardian so they are informed of the student coming home or, when necessary, can pick the student up.
    • If the student leaves for some reason other than illness, permission to do so should have been granted by the parent/guardian and the school administration before the student leaves. Prior permission means a telephone call or note from the parent turned into the office before 8:10 am, or a properly signed permission slip approved by the attendance secretary. A blue early release pass should be obtained from the office before the actual departure time. Upon returning to the school the same day the student should sign in at the office. A student may never leave school during school hours without proper permission. If a student is gone for an extended period of time, the pre-arranged absence form should be completed and filled out before leaving.

    Make-Up Work

    All work missed on days absent should be made up. It is the responsibility of the student to ask the teacher about assignments missed during the absence. Students with excused absences will have an extension of time to complete required class work. If a student does not complete make-up work within the prescribed time, a grade of zero may be recorded for the missing work. Work due on the day of absence will be due on the day the student returns to school.

    Students who are unexcused have a right to make up major tests, but teachers are not required to provide make up of daily quizzes or assignments. Students who have been suspended have the same right to make up work as students who are excused. Tests given to unexcused or suspended students do not have to be the same test that was given to the rest of the class.

    Situations arise that make it necessary for students to miss school. Examples include: personal illnesses, medical appointments, etc. When a student is absent from school for an excused absence, it is the responsibility of the student to turn in assignments collected by the teacher during their absence and complete assignments that were assigned by the teacher during their absence. Make up work will be accepted by teachers without credit penalty so long as it is submitted to the teacher in a timely fashion. When a major or important test is missed, a mutually agreed upon time will be scheduled for that test to be made up. Missed tests will be completed under staff supervision.

    If your child has been absent and you wish to request homework, please either email or phone your child’s homeroom teacher with your request. Contacting your child’s homeroom teacher, rather than contacting the office, will be the most efficient way to get the homework.

    Extended Illnesses

    When a student, due to illness or injury, is unable to attend school for a period of time, parents are asked to contact the student’s resource teacher or the front office to make arrangements for the pick up of assignments. A physician's excuse may be required for absences longer than two days.

    The school will make all reasonable efforts to assist in gathering assignments and materials for an ill student. It is recognized that some subjects do not lend themselves to sending assignments home.

    Homebound and Hospital Instruction:

    When a child is unable to attend school because of extended illness or injury, the parent should notify the Principal or the Director of Special Education. A form is then sent to the parent to be completed by their physician. When the physician's statement is returned, the school will develop an appropriate home or hospital program if the child will be unable to attend school for a 30 day period.