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Policies » Attendance

Attendance

Colorado Requirements

The goal of every student should be perfect attendance. To comply with Colorado compulsory attendance statutes (CRS 22-33-104) GVA-CS must hold students and parents/guardians accountable for absences.  To be in good standing at the end of the year a student must have no unexcused absences and 9 or less excused absences. Absences due to extended illness will be handled on a case by case basis in concert with parents/guardians. The following accountability procedures are mandatory.

School Day

School promptly begins at 8:00 am for elementary and 7:45 am for Middle School. Students are dismissed at 3:15 pm. These hours are required to meet state standards of attendance.

Absences

A significant part of a student’s educational experience is derived from classroom participation, activities, discussion and relationships. Regular and punctual daily attendance is a critical factor in a student’s ability to attain the maximum benefit from the educational process.

Except as otherwise allowed by state law, all children between the ages of six (6) and seventeen (17) must enroll in and attend school. Students who are absent for part or all of a school day may be restricted or prohibited from participation in after school or extra-curricular events on the day of the absence

Excused Absences

Excused absences are defined as absences caused and excused due to one or more of the reasons defined in this section. For an absence to be excused a telephone call or signed note from the custodial parent/legal guardian, medical practitioner(s), or other authorized official must be submitted within two (2) school days of the school day absent. In the case of multiple consecutive absences, the excuse must be submitted within two (2) school days of the last school day absent.

  • A verified illness, injury, or physical, mental and/or emotional disability.
  • A religious observance generally recognized by an established and bona fide religious organization. Absence required by a legal body (court, juvenile authorities or police).
  • A family emergency such as a serious illness or death of an immediate family member.
  • Student absences for participation in school-sponsored or authorized activities are not considered absences from school.
  • Absences due to suspension.
  • Medical/Dental appointments (with a medical excuse)
  • Appointments/Serious Circumstances (must be approved by the school)
  • Extracurricular activities (must be approved by the school)
    • The student must be in good academic standing
  • Family vacation (must be pre-approved by the school)
    • The student must be in good academic standing

Acceptable reasons for excused absences may be restricted, or additional documentation may be required beyond the guidelines established in this policy by the building administrator or attendance officer. Additional documentation requirements typically apply to students with a history of habitual truancy, including students on school attendance contracts or under truancy court orders.

Parents/Guardians must call the school before 8:00 a.m. to report absences.

All other absences that are not covered in the above excused section will be unexcused (special circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis). If your student is going to be absent for more than one day, please stop by the front desk and complete a Request for Extended Absence form.  If you anticipated only one day’s absence and it turns out to be longer, you need to call the school each successive day. Cumulative attendance will be reported on report cards.  Please note that GVA-N follows Colorado State Policy with regards to attendance concerns.

Excessive Excused Absences

Excessive excused absences are defined as excused absences in a number that negatively impacts the student’s achievement and/or ability to complete make-up work comparable to in-class activities missed. Excessive excused absences may result in teachers and/or administration initiating a required conference with the parent and student to develop an attendance contract to address the concern. Continued absences in violation of an attendance contract may be designated as unexcused.

Unexcused Absences

All absences that are not excused as defined elsewhere in this policy will be considered to be unexcused.

A student that has four (4) unexcused absences in one (1) month or ten (10) unexcused absences in a calendar year is considered habitually truant. If school and/or district intervention efforts fail, sanctions for habitual truancy may include a referral to the Truancy Court of the 17th Judicial District and/or a referral to a social service agency. Students who are on campus but truant from a scheduled class pose a safety and supervision concern. Students on campus but truant who refuse to comply with staff directives to attend class are considered defiant and are subject to sanctions as described in the student discipline policy.

Tardies and Partial Absences

A tardy is defined as the student entering a class within 5 minutes of the scheduled start time. Excessive tardies may result in consequences at the discretion of school officials.

  • Students will be marked tardy at 8:05 am.
  • Students arriving after 8:05 am must check in with the attendance office (to receive a tardy pass) before going to class.
  • Students arriving after 8:30 am must be accompanied by an adult and signed in with the front office.
  • Once classes have begun, parents need to have set appointments to speak with teachers and are discouraged from walking students to class in an effort to avoid disruptions.

A partial absence is defined as a student entering or departing class ten (10) or more minutes from the scheduled start or end time of the class. Partial absences will be determined to be either excused or unexcused according to the same criteria as all other absences.

Excessive partial absences, defined as partial absences in a number that negatively impacts the student’s achievement and/or ability to complete make-up work comparable to in-class activities may result in consequences at the discretion of school officials, and may include the initiation of an attendance contract.

Attendance Recognition Criteria.

Perfect attendance is defined as having no tardies or absences. Individual schools may recognize perfect attendance of students who demonstrate positive attendance habits that are short of the perfect attendance criteria established in this policy.

Withdrawal for Non-Attendance

A student of any age missing ten (10) consecutive days without prior approval of school administration shall be reported to a District Attendance Officer for investigation. The Attendance Officer may direct the school to implement truancy action and/or to withdraw the student from school when warranted. Students who are withdrawn for non-attendance should not be on campus without administrative approval. Students under the age of 17 who are seeking to withdraw with a stated intent of enrolling in a different school or educational program may not be officially withdrawn until educational records have been requested from the receiving school.

Eligibility for Homeschooling (Home-Based Education)

Students with a history of habitual truancy within the last six (6) months of enrollment are not eligible to withdraw from school for the purpose of homeschooling until parents have fully satisfied application and planning requirements described in District homeschool policy and in state law.

Eligibility for Homebound or Out-of-School Support Services

Parents of a student who is anticipated to be absent for more than fifteen (15) school days due to a physical, mental or emotional disability may request assessment by school staff to consider whether homebound instruction or other out-of-school education support services may be appropriate. Specific documentation and appropriate confidentiality waivers allowing physicians treating the child to communicate with district officials are required in order for a student to be considered for out-of-school educational support services.

Tardies

  • Students will be marked tardy at 8:05 am. Middle School students will be marked tardy at 7:50 AM.
  • Students arriving after 8:30 must be signed in by a parent or guardian at the front office.