Attendance

The purpose of these student attendance guidelines are to identify
various laws, regulations and quidelines for attendance which are
mandated or agreed upon, and to present the procedures to implement
enforcement of student attendance regulations.

Compulsory School Attendance

Regular school attendance is necessary for a successful school
experience. Instructional continuity is interrupted and the valuable
interaction that occurs with teachers and among fellow students is lost
when a student is frequently absent, tardy or dismissed early from
school. Realizing that regular attendance in school is necessary for
students to gain maximum benefits from public education, the School
District urges all parents/guardians to stress punctuality and regular
attendance habits with their children. Policy No. 204 of the Lower
Moreland Township School District regulates attendance in the schools
of Lower Moreland. In addition, the school laws of Pennsylvania require
every parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a
child or children between the ages of eight and seventeen to send them
to school. The laws further require that, “Once a parent elects to send
his child to school, the child must attend continuously until seventeen
years of age, has graduated from a senior high school or has secured
legal employment at age sixteen.” If parents will not insist that the child
take advantage of the free educational opportunities offered, it becomes
the duty of the state and the district to require that the student attends school.

Excused Absence

The school will classify an absence as “excused” for one of the following
reasons only:
-Illness
-Quarantine
-Death in the family
-Family Educational tours or trips WITH prior approval (not to exceed six days per year)
-Religious holidays or observances

Any absence that can be anticipated beforehand should be brought to
the attention of the building principal well in advance of the absence.
Secondary students who are absent in excess of twenty percent (20%)
of the regularly scheduled class meetings of a particular course may be
denied credit for the course, at the discretion of the building principal.

Illness:  Students absent from school for five (5) or more continuous school days must present written verification of their absence by a licensed medical authority.  Students who fail to present such written verification upon their return to school, will have their absences classified as unexcused. 

Educational Tours or Trips: Requests by parents/guardians for
permission to have children absent from school for educational tours or
trips must be made to and processed by the principal or his/her designee.
The request must be received by the principal at least two weeks prior to
 the anticipated absence. The total number of approved days of
absence shall not exceed six (6) days in a given school year. Days exceeding these guidelines shall be considered unlawful and/or
unexcused. The parent/guardian must assume the responsibility for
checking with the principal or his/her designee, at least one (1) week
or more if possible, in advance of the trip, to ascertain the present
scholastic standing of the child in the class. The student shall be held
responsible for making up missed assignments. Families are encouraged
to avoid family vacations or educational field trips during the state testing windows.  

Religious Observation: All absences occasioned by observance of the
student’s religion on a day approved by the Board as a religious holiday
shall be excused. A penalty shall not be attached to an absence for a
religious observance.

Unexcused or Unlawful Absences

All absences for reasons other than those previously cited will be considered
as “unexcused.” Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Shopping trips
• Oversleeping
• Car trouble
• Missed the bus
• Pleasure trips/sporting events
• Illegal absences from school

All “unexcused” absences for students under the age of seventeen are
also recorded as “unlawful.”

Parent Responsibility:  The parent/guardian must click on the "Attendance" link on the Lower Moreland High School website (www.lmtsd.org) to complete the online form with the date of the absence and the reason for the absence.  This online form must be completed within five (5) days of the student's return to school.  (An email or fax to the Building Attendance Secretary will also be accepted.)  If an online form is not completed, the absence will be permanently considered unlawful.

District Responsibility

An automated call will be sent to families whose student is marked
absent and the family has not reported their student's absence to alert
them that their child is not in school. The District will notify the parent/
guardian in writing of the first, second, and third unlawful absence(s).
Following the third unlawful absence, the District will coordinate a
school-family conference to discuss truancy and develop a mutually
agreed upon Student Attendance Improvement plan. The fourth unlawful
absence, and every one that follows, will result in referral to the
magisterial district judge or the local Children and Youth agency.
  Tardiness and Early Dismissal

Whenever students arrive late or depart prior to the end of the school
day, parents must present the school with a “yellow card” written note
explaining the situation. These incidents are recorded as “excused” or
“unexcused” applying the same criteria as those for full-day absences.
Students arriving after the midpoint of the school day or departing
before the midpoint of the school day will be recorded as ½ day absent.
Occasionally, student appointments are scheduled during the school
day. If this need arises, please send a note to the main office stating the
rationale for the appointment and the time for pickup. The office will call
the classroom for your student to report to the office upon parent/
guardian arrival. The student and or parents/guardian must report to the
greeter in the lobby to sign "out" of school for all appointments.
Students in the high school will need to carry their student id card as
this card will be scanned to record the late arrival or early dismissal.

College Visitations and Medical Appointments: Students requesting
excusal from school for these reasons are required to present written
evidence of the appointment prior to the excusal, if possible, and
definitely upon the return to school on a form obtained from the
attendance office. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.  

Early Dismissal: Students who desire an early dismissal should report
to the attendance secretary in the Main Office prior to 7:25 am. A
“Yellow Card” from the parent stating the reason for the request is
required. Appointments for doctors, dentists, etc. should be made at a
time other than during the school day, whenever possible. Early
dismissals will be verified with parents. Students who leave school
without written administrative approval will be subject to disciplinary
action.

Family Trips: All students requesting to be excused for purposes of
family travel must submit an application to the district superintendent at
least two weeks prior to the planned trip. Excused family trips may not
exceed six school days in a given year. All additional days will be
considered Unexcused Absences. Lateness: A student is late if he/she is not in Forum by 7:25 am. A test
or quiz missed due to lateness will be rescheduled by the teacher. It is
the student’s responsibility to see the teacher on the day of the lateness
before the student’s lunch period to make arrangements. At the
discretion of the teacher, the student may be required to make up the
test on the day of the lateness. Make-up Work: It is the responsibility of the student to make up any
work missed for any reason. This must be done within a period of time
equal to the time missed during the excused absence. Arrangements
are to be made with the teacher. Unexcused Absences/Make-Up Work: At the discretion of the
teacher students with unexcused absence or lateness may be permitted
to make up work. Sports/Activity Participation: Any student who has not been properly
admitted to school by 8:30 am shall not be permitted to participate in
any scheduled interscholastic contest/activity on that day.

Cumulative Absences

Whenever a student accumulates fifteen or more absences in a school
year, a Student Attendance Improvement plan will be developed to improve
student attendance. Pre-approved family educational trips/tours, preapproved
college visitation absences, and absences excused by a
doctor’s note will not be included. All absences beyond fifteen
cumulative days will require an excuse from a physician.

Consecutive Absences

Whenever a student has ten (10) consecutive absences and there is no
evidence that these absences are “excused,” the district shall begin the
process to remove the student from its active membership roll.

Unlawful Absence Consequences

Schools are a critical part of a child’s support system and have a
significant opportunity to assist children and families. Therefore, a letter
will be sent to the parent/guardian after each unlawful absence.

(1) First Unlawful Absence

Parent/guardian receives a letter of unlawful absence from the school
district. The legal penalties established by law for violation of
compulsory attendance requirements are attached to the letter. In
addition to stating the legal punishments, the name and telephone
number of a school contact person shall be included. Parents are then
able to contact a specific person to request assistance.

(2) Second Unlawful Absence

Parent/guardian receives a second letter of unlawful absence from the
school district. Once again, the legal penalties established by law for
violation of compulsory attendance requirements and the name and
telephone number of a school contact personal shall be included.
Additionally, another offer of assistance should be made to the parent.

(3) Third Unlawful Absence

Parent/guardian receives a third letter of unlawful absence by certified
mail providing “official notice of child’s third illegal absence.” Attached to
this letter will be penalties for violation of compulsory attendance
requirements as they pertain to both the student and the
parent/guardian, including information that three days after giving such
notice, the student or parent/guardian who again violates the
compulsory attendance requirements shall be liable without further
notice. The School district shall coordinate a school/family conference to
discuss the cause of the child’s truancy and develop a mutually agreed
upon Student Attendance Improvement plan (SAIP) to resolve truant behavior. Issues
to be reviewed at the school/family conference include the
appropriateness of the child’s educational environment, current
academic difficulties, physical or behavioral health issues, and
family/environment concerns. At the end of the conference all parties
should sign a comprehensive SAIP that is agreed to by the school
representative, the child, and the parents and/or family. The plan could
include accessing academic and social/health supports from the school
and community organizations, an outline of family/parent and student
responsibilities, and levels of performance monitoring that include
rewards and consequences.

(4) Subsequent Unlawful Absence

After agreeing to a Student Attendance Improvement plan (SAIP), or if there is not
agreement on a SAIP and three (3) days have passed since the
parent/guardian received the official letter of the child’s third illegal
absence, if a child is unlawfully absent, at any point within the school
year, an official letter of unlawful absence will be sent home. The
purpose of this correspondence is to inform the child’s parent/guardian
that the child has again violated the compulsory attendance
requirements, and advise the parent/guardian that a citation will
immediately be sent to the magisterial district judge. To ensure the
parent/guardian receives the notice, the notice will be sent through
certified mail. After this step, the school shall continue to contact the
parent/guardian to inform them of additional truant behavior. The school
will refer all future incidents of truancy directly to the magisterial district
judge having jurisdiction in the region.

Habitually Truant

The School Code defines habitually truant as absence for more than
three (3) school days or their equivalent following the first notice of
truancy given after a child’s third unlawful absence.

Referral to County Children and Youth Agency

(a) Children Under 13 Years of Age

Any child who has not attained the age of 13 who fails to comply with
the compulsory attendance requirements and is habitually truant, shall
be referred by the school district to the local county children and youth
agency for services, which may include addressing family issues that
may be responsible for the child’s truant behavior, or possible
adjudication as a “dependent” child under the Juvenile Act. The referral
to the county children and youth agency may be in addition to
proceeding against the parent/guardian by sending the citation to the
appropriate magisterial district judge or a school may decide to refer a
family to the local county children and youth agency instead of sending
a citation to the appropriate magisterial district judge. If the
parent/guardian provides written consent, a copy of the SAIP should be
forwarded to the county children and youth agency.

(b) Children 13 Years of Age and Older

Any child who has attained the age of 13 who fails to comply with the
compulsory attendance requirements and is habitually truant may, in
lieu of being prosecuted (as described below), be referred by the school
district to the local county children and youth agency for services, which
may include addressing family issues that may be responsible for the
child’s truant behavior or, possible adjudication as a dependent child
under the Juvenile Act.