Henry County High School Attendance/Privilege Policy
Henry County High School has added a new policy for all students starting with the 2019-2020 school year.
Henry County High School students that are truant or habitual truant will be subject to loss of privileges. It is the belief of Henry County High School that good attendance to school and behavior are essential in developing good habits for a lifetime. Unexcused absences and unexcused tardies to school are known to have a negative effect on academic achievement. Each school year, a student will lose privileges to participate in extra-curricular or co-curricular events sponsored by Henry County High School if his/her attendance results in any of the following:
An accumulation of more than 6 unexcused absence days, through whole or partial day absences. (Note: Three (3) unexcused tardies to school will equal one unexcused day.)
Upon the 7th unexcused absence, students will lose privileges for the remainder of the school year.
(Note: Upon the 5th unexcused absences, students will be required to meet weekly with a SST (Student Support Team) mentor.)
Loss of privileges include, but is not limited to the following:
- Participation in the HCHS graduation ceremony—for seniors only (NOTE: Diplomas will be delivered to students who do not meet the criteria to be honored at the graduation ceremony.)
- Participation as an athlete or cheerleader in sporting events
- Participation in school plays
- Club Activities
- Senior events including Senior Awards Night
- School dances including Homecoming Dance, Junior Prom, Senior Prom
- Field Trips
- Co-curricular actives that meet after school (For example: Marching Band, JROTC, etc.)
- Parking privileges
- Loss of Co-Op for current year and/or the next school year
- Class officer for the following school year
Loss of extra-curricular and co-curricular privileges may be appealed to the Student Privileges Committee. The Student Privileges Committee will meet once each month. Student Privileges Committee members will be appointed by the school principal. The committee will hear individual appeals and render decisions regarding privileges. All appeals must be made 7 days prior to the committee meeting.
(Note: The committee will only hear appeals based on, for example, medical and family emergencies.)
EXCUSED ABSENCES
An excused absence or tardiness is one for which work may be made up, such as:
- Illness of the pupil or severe illness in the pupil’s immediate family (a physician’s note is required for verification for the sixth and all subsequent absences for illness). After the tenth (10) physician’s note, the parent/guardian must have a Medical Excuse Form 09.123 AP.2 completed by the physician,
- Death in the pupil's immediate family as verified by a note from the funeral director,
- Court appearances as verified by a note from a court official,
- Driver’s test for permit or license (1/2 day is allowed for this purpose),
- Religious holidays and practices,
- One (1) day for attendance at the Kentucky State Fair,
- Documented military leave,
- One (1) day prior to departure of parent/guardian called to active military duty,
- One (1) day upon the return of parent/guardian from active military duty,
- Visitation for up to ten (10) days with the student’s parent, de facto custodian, or person with legal custody who, while on active military duty stationed outside of the country, is granted rest and recuperation leave,
- Ten (10) days for students attending basic training required by a branch of the United States Armed Forces, or
- Other valid reasons as determined by the Principal, including trips qualifying as educational enhancement opportunities.
Students shall be granted an excused absence for up to ten (10) school days to pursue an educational enhancement opportunity determined by the Principal to be of significant educational value. This opportunity may include, but not be limited to, participation in an educational foreign exchange program or an intensive instructional, experiential, or performance program in one (1) of the core curriculum subjects of English, science, mathematics, social studies, foreign language, and the arts.
Unless the Principal determines that extenuating circumstances exist, requests for date(s) falling within State or District testing periods shall not be granted.
The Principal’s determination may be appealed to the Superintendent/designee whose decision may then be appealed to the Board under its grievance policy and procedures.
Students receiving an excused absence under this section shall have the opportunity to make up school work missed and shall not have their class grades adversely affected for lack of class attendance or class participation due to the excused absence.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED
A signed statement of the parent, when presented upon the student's return to school, will be accepted as proper verification for up to five (5) days absence per year. Absences verified by a doctor's statement shall not be counted as one of the initial five (5) days
Up to ten (10) absence events with doctor’s statements shall be allowed. Any absences due to medical reasons in excess of ten (10) shall require the presentation of a completed Medical Excuse Form 09.123 AP.2 before those absences shall be excused. Medical Excuse Forms shall be available at each school and the central office.
When a student returns to school following an absence, s/he must bring a signed note with the dates of the absence(s). When notes are turned in, the student will be issued an excused admit slip. The student is responsible for presenting the admit slip to each teacher upon return to class following the absence and at that time, turn in any work due and request any missed assignments.
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
Absences for reasons not stated above shall be considered unexcused.