ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES: The academic program at Middle Township High School places stringent, reasonable demands upon all students, regardless of their course of study. Schools are legally and morally responsible to prepare students to meet the New Jersey high school graduation requirements. In order for students to learn, regular class attendance is imperative.
Schools are legally mandated to have and enforce an attendance policy. It is the mutual responsibility of both the school and home to work closely together to ensure the regular attendance of each student. These attendance procedures address that responsibility.
ABSENCE - DEFINITION AND VERIFICATION: Student absences are deemed “excused” when the student is able to provide documentation ONLY for the following circumstances:
- Medical illness/injury
- Required court appearance
- Family death
- College visitation
All notes from a licensed physician, dentist or legal agency must be submitted within three days after returning to school. These notes will be kept on file in the nurse's office for future reference, particularly in cases where an "appeal process" is instituted. These absence days, although excused, will still accumulate as part of the 9 day maximum per semester.
The following circumstances will not be considered an absence:
- School field trip/activity
- External suspension
Students who are absent with parent permission for reasons other than those listed above will be considered unexcused. Students who are absent without parent permission will be considered truant and will receive further disciplinary consequences.
Parents/Guardians will be notified via electronic message if their child is not marked present for a day of school. This call will be made even if the parent has notified the school of the reason for the absence, simply to confirm that the absence was recorded. If a parent disputes that the child was absent that day they should contact the attendance officer at extension 509.
ABSENTEEISM: School attendance is the basic responsibility of the pupil and parent(s)/guardian(s). Individual records must be maintained by the parent(s)/guardian(s), keeping a personal record of each absence, tardy or early dismissal as verification data to be provided to the school in the event that an appeal is requested under this policy.State guidelines mandate that all schools have strong attendance procedures as part of the "THOROUGH AND EFFICIENT EDUCATION ACT." Under normal circumstances, high school students are not subject to childhood diseases, as are elementary children. Therefore, absenteeism by a high school student should be minimal.
For the purpose of this policy, there is no distinction between "excused" or "unexcused absences." The number of days delineated in this policy are total allowable days. Any subsequent absences (over 9 per semester) must have either a legal/medical documented excuse or be made up in a Saturday session.In keeping with state and local Board minimal expectations, pupils attending Middle Township High School who accumulate more than 9 absences in a semester or more than l8 absences in a year will be placed on a "no credit" status. For the purpose of this policy, "no credit" means:
- Students must attend one Saturday make-up session for each unexcused day, which exceeds the policy limits (9/18). Saturday make up sessions are scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon most Saturdays in the high school cafeteria.
- Students who fail to attend the make-up sessions will be placed on “no credit” status and will receive no credit for the school year, regardless of the grades earned.
- Students who accumulate more than 20 days of unexcused absence will no longer be eligible to attend make-up sessions.
- SENIORS PLACED ON A NO CREDIT STATUS DURING THE SENIOR YEAR MAY LOSE THE PRIVILEGE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE GRADUATION CEREMONY.