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ATTENDANCE POLICY

The school laws (53-24-1) of the State of Utah require children to attend school in sufficient quantity to insure the educational benefit of extensive class discussion, group work, and achievement. It is the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians (in accordance with SSSD Policy) to ensure that their school-age children attend on a regular basis. It is recognized that extenuating circumstances may arise which prevent a student from attending school. These absences, along with prior approved absences, are classified as excused. 

ATTENDANCE ABSENCES–STEPS TO FOLLOW

  1. The parent or guardian should phone the school and inform the office of the absence.
  2. If no phone contact has been made on or prior to the date of absence, the parent or guardian must send a signed, dated note or phone call excusing their student when the child returns to school. (A student will have one school day beyond their return to deliver a parental excuse note.) If no note or phone call is received within this one-day grace period, the student may be issued a sluff.
  3. All students who arrive at school after it has begun must report to the office before going to class. These students must account for their late arrival by a signed, dated note and/or a phone call from home.
  4. If a student needs to check out of school once it has started, The student must report to the office and have a signed, dated note or use the office phone and call home and get excused BEFORE leaving the campus. This is especially true when a student becomes sick during the school day. No student may leave school without PRIOR parental permission.
  5. Students who are caught using forged notes or making fraudulent phone calls will be issued a sluff.

CLOSED CAMPUS

Upon arriving at school, students need to remain on the school grounds. If you need to leave early, please check out in the office and have a parent contact the school. Students are not allowed to leave campus unless checking out. EMS is a closed campus school meaning students can’t leave during the school day without properly checking out.

ATTENDANCE MONITORED DAILY

Students who are absent from a class without a proper excuse will be issued a sluff. Parents will be notified of a sluff by a phone call.

  1. To monitor daily attendance, teachers enter attendance every period via computer.
  2. Students are expected to be in class on time. Students who are habitually tardy will be handled by one or more of the following: 1) individually by the teacher, 2) referral to the administration by the teacher followed by a parent conference, 3) temporarily suspended from participating in activities such as reward activities, dances, field trips, etc. 4) issued a sluff, 5) making a class or schedule change.

SLUFFING (TRUANCY)

The following situations will be classified as a sluff:

  1. Absence from school without permission and/or knowledge of parents, guardian, or school.
  2. When a student has been in attendance during the morning or afternoon session  and leaves the campus without checking out through the office.
  3. The cutting of an individual class.
  4. Leaving class (without the teacher’s permission) after the class has begun.
  5. Leaving school without proper authorization from parent or guardian, by a phone call or note.
  6. Obtaining a pass or permission to go to a certain place and not reporting there.
  7. Leaving the campus during an assembly, activity, etc., without checking out.

CONSEQUENCES FOR SLUFFING

Consequences for sluffing will increase with each additional time a student chooses to sluff. Consequences may include:

  • A phone call to parents.
  • Student will not be allowed to make up missed work.
  • Missing next reward activity, dance or field trip.
  • In-school suspension.
  • A change in class schedule.
  • Counseling.
  • Parent meeting.
  • Other options as deemed appropriate by the administration based upon the individual student’s needs.