Attendance Goals

Students should be present every day to ensure that all are successful by receiving instruction, gaining knowledge, and graduating on time.  We are committed to providing an environment and system of support to ensure all students are successful.  If students are not present, this cannot occur.  Students miss direct instruction while absent, which impedes learning.  While we encourage daily attendance, we understand there are circumstances that may require students to be absent.  Parents or guardians are asked to notify the school when their student is absent.  Students are expected to be in class on time every period, every day.  Any absence, whether excused or not, denies students the opportunity to learn.  

School Staff Responsibility

• The PowerSchool Attendance System will be utilized to notify a parent/guardian of a student's absence daily via text/email.

• Upon the 3rd unexcused absence, notifications through the PowerSchool system will begin to be emailed home. Followed by the 6th and 9th unexcused absences. 

• Upon 9th unexcused absence, a third notification will be emailed home and further action will be taken by the school or the Assistant Director of Pupil Personnel.

• Conferences will be held with parents and/or student as deemed necessary throughout the school year by the counselors, assistant principals, and/or members of the Attendance team.

HB 611 - JCPS/County Attorney Promoting Student Attendance

The Kentucky General Assembly has passed a new law, HB 611, aimed at addressing student attendance. This legislation mandates that students throughout Kentucky who accumulate 15 or more unexcused absences be referred to their local County Attorney's office. The goal of HB 611 is to reduce unexcused absences, promote consistent attendance, and ensure students receive the support they need to stay engaged in school.

To comply with the law, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) has begun the mandatory referral process to the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office (JCAO). Unexcused absences are those that are not reported to a school or when a student does not produce a valid reason for missing school in writing.

Procedure for Documenting Excused Absences

When an absence occurs, a note from a parent or guardian explaining the absence (with valid excuse per JCPS policy) is required. Parent notes explaining an absence or tardy must include:

1. Student's (first and last) name and grade.

2. Date and reason for absence.

3. Signature of parent with a phone number.

• Upon return to school, scholars should turn in their notes into the Attendance/AP Office on the first floor at 1T.  Students have three (3) days following an absence to bring in documentation/verification (includes health professional statements) explaining the absence.  Excuses brought in after the three (3) days may not be accepted.

• Students may bring parent notes to account for up to 10 days of absences.  After a total of (10) cumulative full-day absences, parents are required to present a written statement from a medical professional, doctor, dentist, psychologist, etc. in order for additional absences to be excused.

• Students accumulating ten (10) or more unexcused absences (including co-op scholars) may not be allowed to attend prom, military ball, possess a parking permit, or participate in any senior activities.  These students may also be restricted from homecoming events, including nominations for homecoming court, and class officers.

Excused Absences: Required Documentation

• Appointments with health professionals   ------------Professional note from Doctor/Dentist, etc.

• Court appearance   --------------------------------------Court clerk or judge verification

• Death of a family member   ----------------------------Documentation from funeral home or Obituary

• Educational trips   ---------------------------------------Educational Enhancement Opportunity request form

• College visit   ---------------------------------------------a letter from college visited

• Kentucky State Fair   ------------------------------------Ticket stub accompanied by parent note

• Religious holidays and practices   ---------------------Parent note

• Student illness   ------------------------------------------Doctor note or Parent note (after 10 parent notes, Doctor notes only

• Test for Driver's permit/license   ----------------------Permit, license or parent note

• Documented Military Leave   ---------------------------Request forms found in counseling or attendance office

Early Dismissals

8:40AM - 3PM (unless notified by an Administrator or the School Nurse)

**If a student is not in attendance for at least half of the school day, he/she will not be able to attend after school events.**

When leaving school early, regardless of age or reason, ALL STUDENTS must SIGN-OUT through the MAIN OFFICE.

• Students who are under 18 years of age must be signed out by a parent/guardian. Parent/Guardian must present an ID to the Main Office to sign student out and sign the Attendance Sign-out Sheet.

• Students who are 18 years of age or older need to bring a note written and signed by a parent/guardian stating reason for and time of early dismissal and stating if student will be driving/taking Uber or TARC/walking, etc.  Notes should be presented to the office before first period.  All requests for early dismissals will be verified with the parent/guardian before a student is released.  Therefore, a working phone number must be included in your note.  

• Early dismissal notes will NOT be accepted on a day before a holiday such as Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Break or special event days (prom, awards ceremony, etc.).  Students leaving early on those days must be signed out by a parent or legal guardian.  

Request for Educational Enhancement Day(s)

• Students attending exceptional educational events on a school day outside of normal school activities may apply for an Educational Enhancement Day one week PRIOR to attending the event.  Scholars must pick up an application from their counselor or attendance clerk and get approval BEFORE attending the event.  

  • The principal must approve all Educational Enhancement Days in advance.  If it is approved, the enhancement day(s) will not count against a scholar’s attendance.  

•  Seniors have the opportunity to use two College Visit Days per school year. An official letter from the COLLEGE Admissions Office/Recruitment Office should be brought to the Attendance Office on return. 

Make-Up Work

If a student is absent from school, he/she is expected to complete assignments from classes missed.   All make-up work should be completed and turned in by the same number of days of his/her absence, plus one day.   

Tardies to School

The amount of time a student is tardy to school will accrue and contribute to the amount of time absent from school which will impact a student’s Perfect Attendance or truancy status.  Students may submit up to ten parent notes PER YEAR to excuse tardies to school; doctors’ notes are unlimited. All students who are tardy to school must report to the Attendance/AP office to sign in.  The appropriate consequence will be assigned unless appropriate documentation is provided for an excused tardy.

Truancy

Any student who has attained the age of six (6) years, but has not reached his or her eighteenth birthday, who has been absent from school without valid excuse for three (3) or more days, or tardy without valid excuse on three (3) or more days, is truant.

Perfect Attendance

In order for students to have perfect attendance for the school year, there must be no tardies or absent minutes for the school year.