School Board Policy

In accordance with state law, Board Policy 5200 (Attendance) requires the Board to enforce the regular attendance of students. The District’s educational program  is predicated on the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. To be in compliance with Wisconsin compulsory attendance laws, teachers will take attendance for each instructional period using the Infinite Campus computer system. The school attendance officer will communicate with the parent after five (5) absences during a semester. The first notification is informational and should not be considered a reprimand. Subsequent notification(s) will be made after ten (10) missed days and will outline school and court sanctions.

Absences

Parent Excused Absences
Parents are asked to call the office at 365-9220 by 10:00 a.m. on the morning of an absence. Parents should provide a written excuse with their student upon return to school only if they have not called to report the student absence. Students are responsible for contacting teachers regarding make-up work. Listed is a summary of excused absences per Board policy:

• Illness or personal injury.
• Appointments including medical, legal, social services, psychological, or court of law.
• Suspension from school.
• Impassable roads and extreme weather conditions which endanger the student's safety.
• Family or community emergencies/crisis/celebration.
• Absences due to penalties imposed by the court system or due to legal placement in an alternative center by another public agency.
• Religious instruction or holiday.

Administration may excuse additional absences if parents communicate the circumstance/situation. 

Pre-Planned Absence
Students should bring a note from parents and pick up a Pre-Planned Absence form from the office well in advance of an absence. Students will take the form and have it signed by all of their teachers. When complete, return it to the office. It is the responsibility of the student to make up work for any absence. Students are encouraged to complete assignments ahead of time so that they are not overloaded upon their return

Unexcused Absence
Unexcused absences demonstrate disregard for the educational program and are considered a serious matter. Absence from school for all or part of a day for reasons other than those defined under excused absences will be marked as unexcused. Failure of the parent to notify the school office of the reason for an absence will cause that absence to be unexcused. An administrator may issue consequences for unexcused absences. 

Truancy

Truancy
Truancy is when a student is absent from a class or classes without the knowledge and consent of the parent and staff. School personnel will work with the student, parents, social workers, and the court system to resolve truancy issues pursuant to state law. An administrator or police school liaison officer may issue detentions, habitual truancy and/or simple truancy citations. Students are required to make up time missed due to truancy. Truancy court can be avoided with strong two-way communication between the parents and JWMS. Check & Connect is a program we will use to help take a more proactive approach to help communicate and reach students who are excessively absent from school.

Tardiness
Tardiness is disruptive to the learning process. Students have ample time to get from one class to the next. Bells are sounded to start the day to dismiss students from the commons to the first class, to provide one-minute warnings prior to the start of each hour throughout the day, and to indicate end of the day dismissal. A student who is late for school in the morning must sign-in at the office before proceeding to class. Students are allowed one unexcused tardy per semester. Disciplinary infractions will be assigned for repeated unexcused tardiness. A student who is late to a class during the day will be admitted without penalty provided staff from the previous hour provides a student pass, along with time dismissed, to excuse the late arrival. A student who is late to class during the day will be admitted with penalty if entering without a proper excuse.