ABSENCES (PRE-PLANNED)
1. Please notify the school office and the student’s teacher(s) of all pre-planned absences PRIOR to the first day of the absence to ensure that assignments/materials and requirements may be determined as noted.
2. Assignments and materials given out during the student’s absence will be placed in a folder and given to the student upon his/her return by the teacher(s) rather than given to the student to take during the absence.
3. The student will be allowed a number of school days equal to his/her days absent to complete and turn in assignments missed during absence.
4. It is understood that many in-class activities (example: science experiments, participation in discussions, lectures, films, demonstrations, tests) are impossible to make up and may result in the lowering of grades.

ARRIVAL OF STUDENTS TO SCHOOL
For safety reasons, students walking or arriving by car to school should not arrive on the school grounds more than fifteen (15) minutes prior to the beginning of the school day. Students should not arrive at school before 0715. Students are not supervised prior to 0715. Students arriving before the designated time will be sent home. Doors open for students at 0725. The instructional day begins at 0730 and ends at 1345. Parents of students who frequently arrive early will be telephoned by school administration.

ATTENDANCE:
Students absent from school should bring a note from home, signed by the parent/guardian, explaining the absence. Excused absences are granted for the following reasons:
a. Illness
b. Family emergency (severe illness, death, local hardship, etc.)
c. Medical necessities that cannot be taken care of during non-school time.

It is a known fact that consistent school attendance and a student’s grades are strongly interrelated. DOD 1342.6-m-1 requires that the installation commander will encourage all educable eligible dependents that have not completed high school to attend either DoDDS schools or a regular program of formalized instruction in the local school system.

At Stearley Heights Elementary School, the educational program is organized on a basic assumption that all students will attend school regularly and that they will be punctual. Adherence to the school attendance policy is the responsibility of the sponsor, parents, and students. When students have an extended absence, academic progress is often affected. Therefore, we encourage you to consider the school calendar when planning long vacations or trips.

Each teacher will maintain an accurate record of daily attendance for each student. This includes teachers of special subjects and special education as well as teachers in regular classrooms.

Excused absences are granted for illness, family emergencies (e.g., severe illness or death in the family, local hardship situations), religious observances, family trips and medical or dental appointments that cannot be arranged during non-school time. All other absences (including suspension) will be considered unexcused.
In the event of absences and/or tardiness of a student, it is mandatory that the parent/guardian notify the office the day the student is late or out.
Students are encouraged to make up all work missed during their absence. Failure to do so may result in a lower overall grade on the progress report. When a student is absent from school part or all of a school day and is found to be truant, a conference is held with the sponsor/parents and student as soon as possible, to elicit reasons for truancy. Consequences will be based on the outcome of the conference, and on a case by case basis.
Excessive and unexcused absences or truancies are considered disruptive behavior. An effective policy requires that sufficient diagnostic and counseling services be provided so that disruptive student behavior will be met with therapeutic or administrative action.

IN ORDER TO RECEIVE GRADES ON A REPORT CARD, A STUDENT MUST HAVE ATTENDED AT LEAST 20 SCHOOL DAYS IN A QUARTER.

Click here for a complete version of the parent/student handbook.