Attendance

The period of a student’s life from the time the child's parents/guardians elect to have the child enter school, and which shall be no later than six (6) years of age until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. The term does not include a child in preschool or who holds a certificate of graduation from a regularly accredited, licensed, registered, or approved high school. 

Having incurred three (3) or more school days of unexcused absences during the current school year by a student subject to compulsory school attendance.

Six (6) or more school days of unexcused absences during the current school year by a student subject to compulsory school attendance.

1. Custodial parent. 
2. Noncustodial parent. 
3. Guardian of a student.  
4. Person with whom a student lives and who is acting in a parental role of a student.

Excused Absences include:

• Personal illness

• Death in the immediate family

• Religious holidays upon prior written request from guardian (not to exceed 36 hours per school years)

• Required court appearance 

• Emergencies (approved by an administrator)

• Educational family trips (up to five days, with a completed “Request for Excused Absence” form submitted at least ten days prior to the trip)

Unexcused Absences include (but are not limited to):

• Oversleeping/alarm failure

• Arriving to school 10 minutes after the start of school or checking out more than 10 minutes before the end of the day without an acceptable reasons

• Leaving school during the regular school day without approval of a school official or other non-emergency situations.

• Personal grooming appointments (hair, nails, tanning, etc)

• Employment/job interview

• Shopping/errands

• Driver's Education (classroom or behind the wheel)

• Skipping class/leaving campus without following proper procedure

• Family vacations that have not been pre-approved

• Needed at home/babysitting

• Car trouble

• Missing the bus/ride

• Needing sleep or rest

• Students must bring a parent note for early dismissal to the attendance office at the start of the school day.

• If not returning from a doctor's appointment, a doctor's note must be submitted upon return.

• A parent will be notified by phone to confirm dismissal if a note is not provided in advance.

Students who are absent from school may not be permitted to attend or participate in school-sponsored activities held the day or evening of the absence. This includes field trips, dances, concerts, plays, musicals, sporting events, etc. The only exception is absence due to approved trip/activity, involvement as a representative of the school or planned, pre-approved college trips. Absence for 20 or more days during a semester for reason other than quarantine shall cause ineligibility until he/she has been in attendance for a period of 45 days following his/her 20th absence.  Students serving a day of in-school suspension (ISS) or out of school suspension (OSS) are not eligible to participate in any extracurricular activities on the same date. 

Students participating in extracurricular/athletic or co-curricular activities on a school day must be in classroom attendance during at least the half-day preceding the activity.  Students must be signed in at the attendance office before 9:20 a.m.to participate in any extracurricular activities.

GMSD schools use an automated phone system to notify parents/guardians of absences, tardiness, or half-day absences without notes. Absences shall be treated as unexcused until the district receives a written excuse from a parent or guardian explaining the absence, to be submitted within three (3) days of the absence. Unless emancipated no student is permitted to write their own attendance notes. Students absent for three consecutive days must submit a physician’s note.

To ensure fairness, students who miss assignments due to absences (excused or unexcused) will be given the same amount of time to complete them as their classmates. This time frame typically equals the number of consecutive school days they were absent.  However, teachers have the discretion to extend this deadline if they believe the circumstances warrant it. Missed work due to field trips and school-sponsored activities, can also be made up. It's important to note that any missed work not completed within the allotted time frame will be recorded as a zero. Additionally, students are responsible for proactively arranging make-up work with their teachers to ensure a smooth return to regular class activities. At the conclusion of each term, should a student require an incomplete, it is up to the teacher to mark the incomplete. The student has 10 school days to complete any make-up work required for either a change in grade or the removal of an incomplete.