Email:  dawn.watts@henry.k12.ga.us

ALL faxes and emails must have the student’s name, the reason for checking in or out, the time of check out, and a copy of the parent/guardian photo ID attached.

Union Grove High School Attendance Policy

Absences

If a student is absent from school, he/she must bring a note or provide appropriate documentation from the parent, legal guardian, or doctor on the first day back to school and present it to the attendance office.  Legally excused absences will be determined in compliance with the Board of Education's policies.  Absences will be excused for illness or death of an immediate family member.  Any other circumstance will be approved or denied based on administrative approval.   School assignments may be made up for excused absences only.  Excuses will not be accepted after three days.  If a student returns to school without a written note within three days after returning to school, then his/her absence(s) will be considered unexcused and all missed work will result in zeros.   A minimum of twenty-four hours will be required for assignments to be collected.  

Students will be allowed three (3) handwritten parental notes per semester for absent days. Absences are then unexcused unless the student provides approved documentation within three days of return.  

Students will be allowed five (5) parental notes per semester for a combination of check-in/ check-outs/morning tardies. Check-in/ check-outs will then be unexcused unless approved documentation is provided at the time of check-in.

Car trouble will not be excused.

Only illness/family emergency will be excused for check-in/check-out.

After the third unexcused tardy, students will receive morning administrative detention (7:30-8:00).  The fourth unexcused tardy will receive Friday after-school detention. Any other tardy thereafter will be regarded as a Section One infraction (see handbook) and will be given the appropriate consequence.

It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with absences, tardies, check-outs, and check-ins.  No warnings will be given.

Students participating in Work Based Learning, Advanced and Impact Academy, and Dual Enrollment are required to sign in or out each day before leaving the building.  Failure to do so could result in grade penalties.

Approved (excused) documentation for absences includes- doctor’s notes, funeral bulletins, and court documentation

If a student has a planned absence that does not fall under the above-approved documents, prior approval by the principal is required.  (ie-non-school athletic trips, educational trips, etc.)

Checking In or Out of School

Once a student arrives at school, he/she is not permitted to leave the school grounds at any time during the school day without a permit from the school office.  In addition, students checking in after 8:15 MUST check in to the attendance office BEFORE reporting to class.  A student should submit their check-in note upon arrival.  Failure to follow the proper procedure will result in disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by an administrator. There are no check-outs after 2:50 pm.

Students are expected to be to school on time.  Unexcused tardies to school in the morning will result in detention being assigned. If a student accumulates five unexcused tardies during a semester or fails to serve detention, ISS will be assigned.

A teacher four step tardy procedure and parking rules continue to apply to unexcused tardies to school.

If a student has to leave school early:

He/she should bring a note from home indicating the reason his/her parents will be picking him/her up from school.

The student has to take this note to the attendance office prior to the start of the school day.  

The student’s parents or guardian must sign him/her out as the student leaves the building. 

Students that do not follow the rules of attendance may be subject to disciplinary actions.

If anyone other than a parent or legal guardian is to sign a student out of school, that person must be on the student’s approved documentation form.  The student must bring a note in the morning that indicates the person's name and relationship to the student and include the person’s telephone number and parent number for verification.  Students will not be released to any other persons.

Students who accumulate excessive unexcused check-ins and/or check-outs will be subject to an administrative referral.

Attendance for Final Exams and Standardized Testing

All students are expected to take final exams on the scheduled dates and times. Therefore, there will be no check-ins or checkouts without prior written approval during exams.  No early exams will be given prior to Christmas break or the end of the school year.

Certificate of School Enrollment

The attendance office must be notified 48 hours in advance before receiving a certificate of attendance.  Certificates of Enrollment expire after 30 days.  Requests for an additional certificate will result in a charge of $5.00.