At The Dr. G.W. Williams S.S., we recognize that regular attendance is essential for academic, workplace and life-success. Students demonstrate commitment, respect, initiative and responsibility when they are in class and on time, all the time. To earn a credit, a student is expected to accumulate a total of 110 hours of instruction for each course and a mark over 50%.
Students, parents, and staff have a role to play in ensuring that students attend classes regularly and punctually. Each one is described below.
Students are responsible for:
· attending all scheduled classes on time
· being prepared for classes and participating fully in the planned learning activities
· reporting absences (preferably in advance) and presenting proper documentation to staff
· covering the material missed because of absences
Parents are responsible for:
· ensuring that their child arrives at school on time, and ready for classes
· making every effort to ensure that their child is present for classes - including booking off-campus appointments outside of the school-day, whenever possible
· actively monitoring their child’s progress – including their attendance
· communicating with the school when their child will be late or absent
Attendance Support Staff are responsible for:
· receiving and processing attendance-related reports
· monitoring students’ lates and absences in conjunction with Administration
· recording parent contact in relation to absences, lates and signing-out
· providing Late Slips and Admit Slips to students
Teachers are responsible for:
· providing engaging instruction in which students can learn and practice effective time-management skills
· recording, monitoring, and reporting students’ attendance to the office
· requesting Admit Slips from students who have unexplained absences
· following up where there are attendance issues (e.g. parental contact, detentions, office referral, etc.)
Administrators are responsible for:
· promoting a culture of respect, initiative and responsibility – reflected in regular student attendance
· monitoring class and school attendance
· following up with attendance referrals
· accessing additional supports for student success
Late for Class (Arriving After the Bell Ends)
Students who arrive to class after the bell has been rung are considered late.
If the attendance sheet for the class has been submitted, the student goes to the Attendance Office to sign in and gets a Late Slip. The Late Slip must be shown to the teacher.
The subject-teacher will discuss the tardiness with the student. The student may be asked to make up the time missed with the subject-teacher. Frequent late arrivals will result in added consequences and parent notification, as well as referral to the student’s Vice-Principal.
Absences
Absences should be both valid and authorized. Examples of valid reasons are: illness, bereavement, medical appointment, court appearance etc. All absences should be authorized by a parent.
Students who have excused absences due to field trips, sports events and school activities will be considered to be “in attendance” at school although they may not be physically in the building.
Truancies are strictly unacceptable and will be monitored and dealt with accordingly.
An automated voice-messaging and email system is used daily to contact the homes of students with unexplained absences. If a message is received, parents should contact the Attendance Office before 8:20am the next school day.
Students who have been signed out of classes by a parent or guardian cannot remain on school property.
Full Day Absence
When a student misses a full day of classes, a parent/guardian phones or emails the school with a valid reason. A secretary notes this on the student’s attendance record. If a parent does not contact the school, the student is required to bring in a parental note with a valid reason for the absence to the Attendance Office upon returning to school.
The student obtains an Admit Slip and shows it to each teacher.
The Attendance Office can be reached at 905-727-3131, ext. 101. If the Secretary is busy, please leave a voice-message or send her an email at drgwwilliamsss.attendance@yrdsb.ca at any time as these modes of communication are accessible 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week.
According to the Safe Arrival policy, ALL absences must be justfied wtih a reason. Calls will go home during Period 1, and after lunch during Periods 4 & 5 to families of students who are absent without reason. If a parent\guardian is unable to be reached and the school cannot attain the reason for absence the YRP may be called.
If a student is unable to attend school and will miss more than two school days, homework may be requested from the Guidance Department and picked up at the school. Teachers require 24 hours to complete homework requests.
If a student is absent due to a prolonged illness, s/he may be required to provide a medical note.
Part-Day Absence
When a student misses part of the school day, a parent/guardian phones with a valid reason or provides the student with a note of explanation (preferably prior to the absence).
If the student is late arriving, s/he goes to the Attendance Office to sign in and get an Admit Slip. The Admit Slip should be shown to the teacher(s) of the missed class(es). Students who sign in late for a class must attend the class that day, regardless of the amount of class-time remaining.
If the student needs to leave during the school day s/he signs out in the Attendance Office with a note from a parent/guardian. The student obtains an Admit Slip and shows it to the subject-teacher of missed class(es) the next day.
Extended Absences
Planned absences of three or more consecutive days require the completion of an “Extraordinary Absence” form at least one week in advance of the leave. The form is available in the Attendance Office. The process includes obtaining signatures from teachers and a school administrator. It is the student’s responsibility to catch up on all work missed.
Students Who Are 18 Years of Age or Older
Students who are 18 years of age or older are expected to follow the attendance procedures as outlined. They must also call the Attendance Secretary and indicate when they will be absent. Furthermore they will have five sign out privileges per semester. Administrator approval must be obtained for additional sign-outs.
Consequences
Consequences for students who dishonour this policy can include, but are not limited to, teacher-student discussion, parent contact, detention with teacher, assigned department chores, loss of privileges, journaling/written reflection, referral to office, meeting with parents, office assigned detention, referral to school social worker, in-school suspension, removal from course or withdrawal from school.