Students at Weimar Academy will be governed by the following attendance policy.

Attendance

Regular attendance at all appointments is expected of every student. This includes classes, assemblies, meal times, work, music, D&F study hall and weekend religious services. Village students may be excused from morning worship if they do not have classes until the second period. Progress in school and success in daily learning activities are directly related to a student’s presence in class.

Absences

Absences will include the following areas; scholastic, disciplinary, work, and assemblies. An unexcused absence occurs when a student misses one of these events without a valid excuse. Leaving an assigned classroom without permission, or leaving with permission but not returning, is also considered an unexcused absence. Make-up work is not allowed for unexcused absences unless pre-arranged and at the teacher’s discretion.

Tardiness

Each student is expected to develop promptness by meeting each appointment on time. Two unexcused tardies will equal one absence. A student will be given an unexcused tardy, if the student comes to class without an excuse during the first ten minutes of the class period, after which the student will be given an unexcused absence. Any class work missed due to an unexcused tardy cannot be made up. Only absences/tardies in the scholastic and work areas will be recorded on the permanent transcript.

Excused Absences/Tardies

An absence/tardy is excused by the administration if the student provides verification from the parent, legal guardian, or staff member stating one of the following as the reason for the absence/tardy:

• Illness of the student (verified by parent or dean)
• Death in the family
• Mandatory court appearance
• Unavoidable medical or dental appointments (verified in advance)
• Parent initiated absences arranged in advance and subject to the approval of the Administrative Committee
• Impassable/unsafe roads
• Emergencies

Administrative Absences

These include the following areas; promotion tours, field trips, emergencies, work substitution. When a student is required by the administration to miss appointments, these absences will not be recorded on the permanent transcript.

Administration of Officially Excused Absences

The Principal, Vice Principal and Deans have all been delegated the authority to officially excuse absences. Work supervisors may excuse their own workers in case of emergency or upon prior administrative approval.

Procedure to follow after any absence/tardy

After a student has been absent/tardy from any appointment the student must do the following:

1. If excused:
   1. Obtain a written excuse within three school days from the authorized staff member. (Those whose names are given from the dean for sick list will not need a written excuse. Village students will need to bring a note from a parent.)
      *Absences or tardies not excused within 3 school days of returning to school automatically become unexcused.
   2. Bring the written excuse to the Attendance Office following the absence
2. If not excusable, the student should return to class.

Disciplinary Unexcused Absence

If an unexcused absence is given to the student, because of continued, unsatisfactory conduct in class, including sleeping, the student will be sent from the class to the Vice Principal or Principal as deemed necessary by the teacher.

Special Prearranged Absences

Parents are strongly encouraged to plan vacations and educational trips during the scheduled home leaves and vacations throughout the school year. Students desiring to accompany parents on vacations that are scheduled during class time are required to send a written request to the Attendance Officer to present at Administrative Council at least two weeks in advance for approval. Even when attendance exceptions are granted:

• Unexcused absences are recorded on the transcript (trips and vacations are typically unexcused absences).
• See the section Excessive Absences Course Grade Policy before you submit your request to fully understand the affect this will have on the student.
• The section Attendance Discipline does not apply to these absences, however the following must be completed by the student as a result of going on the trip: –
  • Make up work must be obtained ahead of time at the teacher’s discretion.
  • A report and presentation must be done about the trip and the educational/ spiritual aspects of it.
  • Upon the student’s return, they will be put on an Attendance Checklist for their classes until all classes are caught up.

Attendance Discipline

For every unexcused class or worship absence, a student will receive 1 point. For every unexcused tardy a student will receive 1/2 point. To avoid attendance discipline, total attendance points each quarter must stay below 3 points. While points reset at each quarter, attendance discipline levels accumulate throughout the year if a continued problem is seen. Parents are notified at each step.

First Level

If the student receives 3 points within the quarter they will be assigned an hour of community service to be accomplished on a Friday afternoon or a Sunday. At every 3 point interval, another hour will be assigned. Village parents will be consulted about which day would work best for them. The student will need to pick up a sheet from the Work Ed coordinator to be signed off by the one supervising the community service.

If the student receives more than 6 points in the quarter, the student will lose all recreation privileges and the student will complete a conference with the principal and parents.

Second Level

If the student exceeds 15 points during the semester, they will complete all of the above in addition to being put on an Attendance Checklist. The checklist will list all required appointments for the student, and the student must get a signature from each teacher or supervisor. This procedure will last 10 school days.

Third Level

If the student continues to accumulate points after the checklist, the student’s name will be referred to Administrative Committee for a possible withdrawal from school.

Policy of Class Make-up Work

When classes are missed they can be made up only at the discretion of the teacher. Make-up work from pre-arranged unexcused absences must be arranged ahead of time at the discretion of the teacher.

Excessive Absences Course Grade Policy

Students may not be absent, excused or unexcused, for more than 2 weeks in a specific course within a semester. This would be 6 class periods for MWF classes and 4 class periods for TTh classes. After the maximum absences in any given class, the school will hold a conference with the student and parent to determine whether the student should receive credit for the affected class, and whether or not the student should remain in school. A grade of “FA” (failure due to absences) may be given in such circumstances.

Students being absent for more than the maximum class periods during a marking period, whose absences are unexcused, will receive the grade FA without appeal.

Make-up Work for Excused Absences

The student will have the opportunity to make up work missed if the absence is excused. The student is responsible to obtain make-up work from the teacher and complete the work to the satisfaction of the teacher. If the absence is unexcused and not prearranged, make- up work will not be allowed.