Attendance Policy

1. Purpose

Miles Ahead Charter School values the importance of regular attendance in ensuring student success. Consistent attendance fosters a positive learning environment and equips students with the skills and habits necessary for lifelong learning and success in the world of work. This policy outlines the school’s expectations regarding attendance, procedures for reporting absences, and interventions to support students and families in maintaining regular attendance.

2. Definitions

• Absence: A scholar is considered absent if they miss more than half a day (3 hours or more) of instructional time.
• Excused Absence: Includes the following:
  • Medical reasons with a proper excuse (doctor’s note).
  • Bereavement with a note from a family member (death in the immediate family).
  • Religious holidays observed by the student’s faith.
  • Court orders or mandates by governmental agencies.
  • Conditions rendering school attendance hazardous to health or safety.
  • Voting in a public election (up to one day).
  • Visits with a parent/guardian in military service, up to 5 days per year, with proper documentation.
• Unexcused Absence: Any absence that does not meet the criteria for an excused absence, including:
  • Absences without a valid explanation or reason.
  • Transportation issues or non-medical appointments.
  • Any other absence not covered under the definition of excused absence.

3. Reporting Absences

• Notification: Parents/guardians must notify the school of their child’s absence as soon as possible. Notifications should be sent via email to crewfamilyinfo@milesaheadcharter.org within 24 hours of the scholar’s return to school.
• Documentation: The note should include the scholar’s name, teacher’s name, reason for the absence, and the dates of the absence.

4. Attendance Monitoring and Interventions

• Three Unexcused Absences:
  • When a scholar accumulates 3 unexcused absences, families will receive a compulsory attendance letter stating the State Board of Education (SBOE) rule about attendance. This letter is intended to remind families of the importance of regular attendance for academic success.
• Five Unexcused Absences:
  • When a scholar accumulates 5 unexcused absences, families will be required to attend an attendance meeting with a member of the Scholar Support Crew. During this meeting, SBOE policies related to attendance will be reviewed, challenges will be discussed, and an action plan will be created to improve attendance. Failure to attend or respond to requests for meetings will result in an automatic Department of Family and Child Services (DFCS) referral.
• Ten Unexcused Absences:
  • When a scholar accumulates 10 unexcused absences, Miles Ahead Charter School will immediately alert DFCS due to a violation of attendance and truancy laws. Additionally, the family will be required to attend a review meeting to determine if Miles Ahead Charter School is the appropriate fit for the scholar.
• Automatic Withdrawal:
  • Any scholar who is absent for 10 consecutive days will be automatically withdrawn from Miles Ahead Charter School, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused.

5. Late Arrival & Early Pick-Up

• Scholars arriving to school after 9:30am will not be permitted to class unless they have a doctor’s note.
• Scholars being picked up early from school must be picked up by 2:00pm.
• For a scholar to receive credit for a half a day of school, they must be present for at least 4 hours of the school day.

6. Tardiness

• Definition: A scholar is tardy when arriving at school or class after the designated start time.
• Conversion to Absences: To encourage punctuality, every five unexcused tardies will be counted as one unexcused absence for attendance and truancy purposes.
• Parental Notification: Parents/guardians will be notified when their child accumulates multiple tardies. If tardiness becomes a recurring issue, the Attendance Team may request a meeting with the parents/guardians to discuss the impact on the student’s academic progress.
• Interventions: Repeated tardiness may lead to interventions similar to those used for unexcused absences, including parental meetings and involvement of the school social worker.

7. Truancy

• Definition of Truancy: A scholar is considered truant if they accrue more than five unexcused absences in a school year.
• Intervention and Legal Action: The school will implement a series of interventions to address truancy. If these interventions fail, the case may be escalated to involve legal authorities, including DFCS.

8. COVID-19 and Health-Related Absences

• Quarantine Protocols: Absences due to COVID-19 or other communicable diseases will be excused if the school is notified and proper documentation is provided. Parents should use the school’s designated reporting system or notify the front office directly.

9. Encouraging Regular Attendance

• Parental Involvement: Parents/guardians are encouraged to work closely with the school to ensure their child attends school regularly and on time. Communication between home and school is vital in addressing any barriers to attendance.
• Incentive Programs: The school may implement attendance incentive programs to reward students and families for maintaining regular attendance.

10. Documentation and Record-Keeping

• The school will maintain accurate attendance records, which will be reviewed regularly by the Attendance Team and made available to relevant school staff. These records will be used to identify patterns of absenteeism and inform intervention strategies.

11. Contesting an Absence or Tardy

• Please feel free to email crewfamilyinfo@milesaheadcharter.org for any questions related to any tardies or absences. We are more than happy to review records alongside our families.