Galion Intermediate School Attendance Policy Tardy, Early Dismissal and Absences
Absenteeism

It is important that students attend school each day.  The Compulsory School Attendance Law (Ohio Revised Code 3321) requires all students to be in attendance, and in all classes assigned to them.  Attendance is the responsibility of the student and parent.  Regular attendance enables teachers to provide the best possible instruction for your child.  It also gives your child the information necessary to be successful at school when combined with his or her best effort and a strong will to succeed.

The statutes governing school attendance are very specific and leave little option for authorities to excuse children from school.  The State Code classifies absence from school as excused or unexcused.  The following conditions constitute reasons for excused absence from school:  1) personal illness, 2) illness in the family, 3) quarantine of the home, 4) death of a relative (limit of days unless arrangements are made with principal), 5) observance of religious holiday, 6) family emergency, 7) head lice (limit of two days excused per referral time by school nurse), 8) doctor, dentist, or counseling appointments that are absolutely necessary during the school day.  Any absences resulting from suspension or emergency removal due to behavior will be counted as unexcused
Court Appearances, Child to Work Day, Vacations.

Court appearances, Child to Work Day, hunting, vacations, etc. come under the guidelines
of vacation and must be pre-approved to qualify as excused.
Take your Child to Work Day must be pre-approved to qualify as an excused absence.  It will be the student’s responsibility to obtain permission slips from the office so that they can be approved in advance by the parents, prospective employer, and school.  All permissions slips must be pre-approved in order for the absence to be excused.  Students that have missed more than five (5) days of school will not be considered for an excused absence.  Galion City Schools believe and recognize that Take your Child to Work Day can be a valuable program for students to participate in; however, we also recognize that it is important for students to be in school.  Most visitations can be done during the summer months so that the school day is not interrupted.  Students may be required to give an oral or written report to demonstrate learning.

While we do not encourage vacations during the school year, if absences are at a minimum, and if prior approval has been obtained, absences may be excused for students to accompany their parents. Students accumulating more than 12 days will result in unexcused absences for each additional day missed. Vacation days count towards the maximum number of days a student can be absent from school. Vacation days should not result in a child accumulating excessive absences.  The make-up work policy applies to absences due to an approved vacation. It is the parent’s and student’s responsibility to consult with the teacher(s) before and after the absences.

 

Steps to follow when your child is absent:

The parent or guardian should contact the school between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. on the day of the absence by calling the school at the following numbers: Primary 419-468-4010 @ Extension 1 & Intermediate 419-468-3676 @ Extension 1.  The parent may also send a written note on the day of the absence.  If the parent has not made contact with the school, the student must have a written note signed by the parent or guardian upon return. This note should include the following information:  child’s name, date, day(s) of absence, and the reason for the absence.  If we do not receive a phone call or written note, the absence is considered unexcused.  A medical excuse is required if an absence has been longer than three (3) consecutive days.  A medical excuse is required if a child misses more than five (5) days in a quarter and/or ten (10) days in a semester, and/or twelve (12) days per school year. In addition, three unexcused tardies is equivalent to one day of unexcused absence. Absences beyond those listed above will be considered unexcused unless a medical excuse is received.

If no call or written excuse is received, we are required as part of the Child Abduction Law, to call the student’s parent or guardian to confirm the student’s absence. If no contact is made, other numbers listed on the blue emergency card will be used. It is vitally necessary that we have a contact phone number at all times.  If your phone number is unlisted, please give that information to the office.  A card, concerning your child’s absence, will be sent to your home address if we are unable to reach you.

 For any child accumulating unexcused absences, other means will be taken to assure that your child attends school according to state laws, such as home visits, Children Services involvement, and/or charges being filed through Crawford County Juvenile Court.

The Galion City School District, in conjunction with the Crawford County Juvenile Court System,
 has developed a comprehensive attendance s

TRUANCY PROCESS

The following process is intended to prevent or decrease the incidence of truancy.  We believe that the most effective support system is one that includes intervention early to prevent excessive tardies or absences. Unexcused tardies and early dismissals may also count towards the accumulation of excused absences. Every three unexcused tardies/early dismissals will count as one day of unexcused absences with the following criteria.

 

The following steps will be taken:

1.  Notification Letter (5 days of Excused and/or Unexcused Absences) Parent/Legal Guardian(s) is sent a notice from the school regarding child’s accruement of five days of absence with excused, unexcused or a combination.

2.  Warning Letter (2 days of Unexcused Absences) Parent/Legal Guardian(s) is sent a notice from the school. In compliance with R.C. 3321.2 the letter shall warn both the child and parent(s) of the legal consequences of the failure to attend school.

3.  Attendance/Truancy Warning Letter (5 Days of Unexcused Absences).  A letter will be delivered by the District/County Truant officer to your home stating that 5 days of unexcused absences have accrued.

4.  Unofficial Court Hearing (8 Days of Unexcused Absences) will be held at the school with the District Truancy Officer and School Official   The unofficial court hearing may include the following information:

  1.     Parent/Legal Guardian(s) and child will be required to attend an unofficial court hearing. A representative of the school will send a notice of the hearing.
  2.     If more than one parent/legal guardian is responsible for the care of the child, both parents/legal guardians will be expected to attend.
  3.     The hearings will be held at the school
  4.     A Court official and a designated school official will conduct the hearing.
  5.     While the hearing is unofficial, the process should be formal and enable both the child and the parent to clearly understand their responsibilities.
  6.     Focus of intervention at this level will be to identify child and family needs and make referral to appropriate school services and/or human services agencies if needed.
  7.     The result of the unofficial hearing should be a family/school plan, which will resolve the truant behavior. As part of the plan, the parent may be asked to become specifically involved in the daily school activities (helping with homework, transportation to school, regular contact with teachers, etc). Schools will be asked to identify creative options for parental involvement.
  8.     Parent/legal Guardian(s) who fail to show for the unofficial hearing, refuses to cooperate, or is unable to cause the child’s attendance at school will be charged with “Failure to Send” when the child’s absences qualify him/her as a habitual truant (5 consecutive unexcused OR 7 unexcused in a month OR 12 unexcused in a year) or as a chronic truant (7 consecutive unexcused OR 10 unexcused in a month OR 15 unexcused in a year)

5.  Official Truancy Hearing (10-12 or more days of unexcused absences) The following legal guidelines will be followed by the school when filing a Truancy Complaint with the Crawford County Juvenile Court.

UNRULY CHILD/ORC 21514.011 - Habitual Truant

Any school age child who is absent without legitimate excuse from school for 5 consecutive unexcused or 7 unexcused in a month or 12 unexcused in a year.

DELINQUINT CHILD/ ORC 2152.02 - Chronic Truant

Any school age child who is absent without legitimate excuse from school for 7 consecutive unexcused or 10 unexcused in a month or 15 unexcused in a year. Or any child who has been previously adjudicated as a Habitual Truant.

UNRULY Child:  Any child who is habitually and truant and previously been found to be unruly.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE UNRULINESS OR DELIQUENCY OF A CHILD: Any person/s that cause a child to become unruly or delinquent.

FAILURE TO SEND CHILD TO SCHOOL: No parent/guardian or person having care of the child and may fail to cause that child to attend school.

Please note: For any child exceeding the above standards, the attendance / discipline officer may require a medical excuse for an

Students Transferring In To District

Absence reports from previous schools will follow students and will be used in accordance with our attendance policy and the number of days missed from previous schools will be applied to our current district policy.  If a student arrives with a combination of tardies and absences above 10 in a semester or 12 for the year, a medical status letter will be sent from the school and a visit by the truant officer will be requested.

Make-up work will be given for excused absences of three (3) or more consecutive days.  Any work for absences of less than three (3) days can be collected upon returning to school.  Students are expected to ask the teacher for make-up assignments the day they return to class.  Assignments that are not made up will be reflected in the grade.

 

Homebound Instruction

The School may arrange for individual instruction for students that are unable to attend school because of an accident, illness, or disability. Such instruction may be arranged upon receipt of documentation of the student’s condition from a physician. For more information, contact the building principal.

 

Tardy / Early Dismissal

Tardy is defined as any student arriving after the morning (9:00) or afternoon(1:00 Preschool) official start times.

Early Dismissal is defined as any student leaving the building before the lunch/noon recess bell or before afternoon dismissal bell.

Students should report to their assigned homeroom before the tardy bell rings.  The following conditions constitute reasons for an excused tardy/early dismissal from school:  1) personal illness, 2) illness in the family, 3) quarantine of the home, 4) death of a relative, 5) observance of religious holiday, 6) family emergency, 7) head lice (limit of two days excused per referral time by school nurse), 8) doctor, dentist, or counseling appointments that are absolutely necessary during the school day.  Early dismissals for reasons such as private lessons or after school activities are considered unexcused.

Tardies and early dismissals that become excessive affect the student’s ability to learn.  Disciplinary action will be taken when a combination of tardies and early dismissals become excessive. Three (3) tardies and/or early dismissals will be counted the same as 1 day of absence. Parents will be notified when any combination of unexcused tardies and or absences reaches the following:  2 days unexcused absences and/or 6 days tardy, 5 days unexcused absences and/or 15 days tardy, 8 days unexcused absences and/or 24 days tardy, 10 days unexcused absences and/or 30 days tardy in a in a semester, or 12 days unexcused absences and/or 36 days tardy. Students that experience excessive tardies and/or early dismissal (more that 36 in the school year which is equivalent to twelve (12) of absence) may result in action taken by the school according to state laws. The combined accumulation of absences and tardies and/or early dismissals totaling twelve (12) or more days may result in further action. Action may include home visits, contact with Crawford County Children’s Services, and / or filing of negligent or unruly charges against the parent or child.

 

  Students arriving late for school must report to the school office.
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