Attendance Policy

Granite Attendance Procedures

Attendance is very important; every absence from school interferes with your child’s opportunity to learn. Once a student gets behind in classroom work, it becomes harder and harder to get caught up. Frequent absences also have the potential to hinder the teacher’s workload and the class’ progress.  If there are circumstances prohibiting your child from attending school regularly, please contact Principal Saline to discuss these concerns.

There are 365 days per year, and students are at school for 176 days.  That’s less than half! We are hopeful that all students will attend 90% of the school year, missing 8 or fewer days per year. Chronic absenteeism, or missing more than 10%, can have serious and long lasting repercussions to students’ education goals.

Students should arrive on campus between 8:45 -8:55am. The welcome bell rings at 8:55am. Students are engaged in meaningful learning activities at 9:00am. For safety reasons, do not send your children to school before 8:45am. Outside supervision begins at 8:45am. In inclement weather, the front doors will open at 8:45am. Call the office 801-826-8575 if your child will be absent or to excuse an absence. Please bring a doctor’s note when possible.

Procedure for Verification for Valid Excused Absences – Valid excused absences are illness, which many be either physical or mental; a family death; an absence permitted by a school age minor’s individualized education plan (IEP) or Section 504 Plan; a family emergency; a family event; an observance of a religious holiday; medical appointment; pre-approved education/vacation leave. Students will be expected to obtain make-up work from their teacher and to complete the work in the assigned time (a student’s grade will not be penalized for absences or tardies). Teachers will, with 24 hours notice,  be responsible for providing students with makeup work and identifying a reasonable deadline for completion.

Illness or Medical Appointment
            1. Parent provides a note from the healthcare provider to the front office

2. School front office records the absence as E-DR

 
Family Death, Family Emergency, Religious Holiday

1. Parent provides notification to the school that the student will be absent
2. For students who have NOT missed more than 10% or more of the school year, parent notification (e.g. call, email) will be accepted for documentation of the
3. For students who have missed 10% or more of the school year, additional
   documentation in addition to parent notification will be required.
4. School front office will record the absence using the appropriate school code.
   
   

Procedure for Education/Vacation Leave

A student may be allowed up to ten (10) days for education/vacation leave in a given school year if prior arrangements have been made with the school for the student to make up his/her work.

1. Prior to education leave, parents complete an EducationLeave/Vacation Form for approval.
2. Teachers will complete the Work to be Completed section and determine a reasonable due date.
3. School administration will verify education leave. If education leave exceeds 10 days within one school year school administration will communicate with their School Performance Director to determine if approval of additional days may be granted.
4. Students will complete work assigned by the teacher and submit within the identified timeframe.
   
   

Related to IEP or Section 504 Plan

1. IEP or 504 Team identifies and documents in the student plan specific criteria for excused absences (e.g. doctor’s note identifies chronic illness, parent calls when student is absent due to a chronic illness)
2. IEP or 504 case managers communicate this criterion to front office staff
3. Parent provides notification to the school that the student is absent due to
   pre-identified individual student needs.
4. School front office staff will record the absence using the appropriate school.
   
   

Unexcused Absence

 If a parent/guardian does not call or provide a note concerning an absence, it is considered unexcused. Students with unexcused absences may be able to make-up work subject to approval by the principal. Ten consecutive unexcused absences may result in withdrawal from the school. You will receive letters from the school administration at 5, 10, and 15 unexcused absences, which may result in a meeting to discuss ways to support family attendance.