Attendance and Discipline Policy

Attendance
Excused Absences
Absence Procedure
Tardy /Tardiness Procedure
Early Departure
Loss of Credit Policy
Philosophy of Discipline
Behavior Definition and Range of Action
Levels of Disciplinary Action
Appeal Procedure

Attendance Policy

Research has shown that there is a direct relationship between regular daily attendance and academic success in school. Therefore, it is crucial that all students attend their scheduled classes and required/ approved activities under the supervision of school staff. Students must attend and participate in all assigned classes in order to participate in any athletic practice/event or other extracurricular activity on that day.

Excused Absences

Illness (doctor's note required for absences of five or more consecutive school days)

Death in the immediate family

Court summons

Hazardous weather conditions

Observance of religious holiday

State emergency

Activity approved by school authorities

Suspension

Absence Procedures

1. A note, signed by a parent/guardian explaining the absence

along with the student’s ID# and grade must be brought to

the Attendance Office within three school days of the

student’s return; otherwise the absence will be recorded as

unexcused, regardless of the reason, and count toward a

possible loss of credit.

2. Notes should include the student’s name, grade, the date/s

of and reason for the absence, and be signed by a

parent/guardian with a daytime phone number.

3. Students who have an Age of Majority form on file may write

their own notes.

4. Notes should be brought to the Attendance Office before

school or during lunch. Students may not be excused from

class for this purpose or for making attendance corrections.

5. For a planned absence (e.g., college visits, surgery, going

out of the state, etc.), a note signed by a parent/guardian listing the date/s and reason for the absence should be brought to the Attendance Office at least five days in advance of the planned absence.

6. For all absences, the student is responsible for finding out

from teachers what work was missed and making it up in a timely manner.

7. Excused absences must be pre-approved for a student to be

eligible to participate in all athletic practices or events. If a

student is absent on a Friday without pre-approval, he/she

cannot participate in a Saturday game.

8. Unexcused absences and tardies will count toward a loss of

credit. See Loss of Credit Policy.

Tardiness/Tardy Procedures

1. Tardiness is defined as not being in your assigned classroom and seated when the late bell rings for that class. Tardiness of more than half of the period will be recorded as an absence. Unexcused absences and tardies will count toward a loss of credit for the class. See Loss of Credit Policy.

2. Any student who arrives late to school, with or without a

note, should report directly to first period. Exception: Students who arrive more than 20 minutes late must sign in at the Attendance Office. Students who are late due to a late school bus will be given late bus passes by the attendance office and sent to class.

3. Students who arrive after first period, with or without a note,

must sign in at the Attendance Office.

4. Parking Permits can be revoked for student drivers after the

fifth time they are late for school without a valid excuse.

5. Teachers will assign detention for unexcused tardiness to

class.

Early Departure

1. Students who need to be excused from school before the

end of the school day must bring a note to the Attendance

Office before 7:25 a.m.

2. The note must state the date, time of departure, reason for

leaving early, and be signed by a parent/ guardian with a

daytime phone number.

3. The student will be issued an early release pass, which

he/she will show to the teacher. The student will report to

the Attendance Office to sign out at the time specified. It is

the student’s responsibility to remember to do this.

4. A student who needs to leave early for medical problems

that develop during the school day must do so from the

Health Room.

5. Students who sign out for only part of the day must sign

back in at the Attendance Office upon returning to school the

same day.

Loss of Credit Policy

The Blake HS Loss of Credit policy has been revised to reflect our block schedule.

For single periods, the regular policy remains in effect:

First unexcused absence: Verbal warning

Second unexcused absence: Teacher calls home

Third unexcused absence: Letter mailed home

Fourth unexcused absence: Teacher calls home

Fifth unexcused absence: Loss of Credit letter

mailed home

Note: Three unexcused tardies = one unexcused absence; fifteen = Loss of Credit.

For block periods, the policy has been revised as follows:

First unexcused absence: Teacher calls home

Second unexcused absence: Warning letter

Third unexcused absence: Loss of Credit letter

mailed home

Note: Three unexcused tardies = one unexcused absence; fifteen = Loss of Credit.

Appeal Process for a Loss of Credit

A student who has lost credit for a class may petition the teacher, within ten days, for restoration of credit. The guidance counselor can assist with this process. It is important for the student to act immediately to file a loss of credit appeal. Petition for Restoration of Credit forms are available in the Guidance Office.

1. To begin the process, the student must complete a

Petition for Restoration of Credit form and give it to

her/his teacher stating the reasons for the unexcused

absences and the reasons he/she believes that credit

should be restored. The student must complete one

form for each class for which he/she has lost credit. The student is responsible for having the form(s) signed by his/her parent/guardian, the counselor, and an administrator verifying that they have read it.

2. A copy of the form is sent to the counselor,

administrator, and teacher.

3. The teacher will review the request and make a

recommendation for or against restoration of credit.

The principal will make the final decision.

4. If credit is not restored, the LC is recorded on the

student’s report card and transcript and is calculated

into the student’s grade point average as an E.

5. Contact the grade-level administrator if you have questions

about this process.

Make-Up Work

1. It is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was

missed and to make it up within the time frame agreed upon

with the teacher.

2. Generally speaking, a student who is absent on the day an

assignment is due, but was present when the assignment

was given is expected to turn it in on the day he/she returns

to school.

3. Some long-term assignments may have a definite due date;

in which case the student is responsible for arranging for the

delivery of the assignment to the teacher on the date it is

due.

4. While teachers have an obligation to make accommodations

for students to make up work when the absence is excused,

teachers are not required to give credit for work made up for

unexcused absences.

5. Work due the day of a field trip or other pre-arranged

excused absence may, at the teacher’s discretion, be due on

or before the day of the missed class.

6. If a test or assignment has been announced in advance, and

the student is absent the day before the test or due date,

extensions will not be granted as long as no new information

was missed.

7. If a test is missed due to an excused absence, but no

additional new information was missed, the student may be

required to take the make-up test on the first day back to

school.

8. On the second day of an extended absence, the

parent/guardian may call the Guidance Office to request

homework assignments. Assignments can then be picked up

on the third or fourth day of the absence. The guidance

office number is 301 879-1310.

Philosophy of Discipline

The James Hubert Blake High School staff is responsible for the equitable treatment of students and for maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment. The staff will respect the rights of individuals while ensuring that students follow school,

county, and state disciplinary procedures. Freedom is based upon the acceptance of responsibility. Students are expected to learn and practice responsible citizenship through the normal pursuit of education in high school. A safe and orderly school climate is essential for students to achieve effectively.

The five infractions that are bold require a mandatory request for expulsion from the principal. All other infractions may be modified at the discretion of the principal.

I. ATTENDANCE

BEHAVIOR		DEFINITION	RESPONSE	RANGE OF ACTION
Tardiness		Being late to class between 0-20 minutes without a legal excuse. Lateness to class of more than 20 minutes will be counted as an absence for that class.	· Teacher/student conference · Teacher assigned detention · Parent contact/ conference	Minimum: Teacher assigned Detention Maximum: Admin. assigned Detention
Leaving Class Without Permission		Leaving a classroom without the prior consent of the teacher.	· Teacher/student conference · Teacher assigned detention · Parent contact/ conference · Referral to administration	Minimum: Teacher assigned Detention Maximum: Suspension
Class Cutting		Absence from class without permission.	· Teacher/student conference · Teacher assigned detention · Parent contact/ conference · Referral to administration	Minimum: Teacher assigned Detention Maximum: Suspension
Leaving Campus	Leaving campus during school hours without proper clearance.		· Referral to administration · Parent/student conference · Referral to Pupil Personnel Services · Loss of Parking Privileges	Minimum: Administrative Detention Maximum: Suspension

Failure to Sign In/Out

Not signing-in at the Attendance Office when coming late to school or not signing out when leaving school early.

· Referral to administration

· Parent/student conference

Minimum:

Administrative

Detention

Maximum:

Suspension

Truancy

Absence from school without permission. Chronic offenders will be referred to the Pupil Services Office with possible court intervention.

· Referral to administration

· Parent/student conference

· Referral to Pupil Services

· Referral to Protective Service

Minimum:

Parent Contact

Maximum:

Suspension

II. RESPECT FOR THE PERSONAL RIGHTS OF OTHERS

BEHAVIOR	DEFINITION	RESPONSE	RANGE OF ACTION
Fighting	Two or more participants willingly engaging in a physical confrontation.	· Referral to administration · Parent contact/ conference · Referral to guidance counselor · Student contract · Peer mediation	Minimum: Suspension/ Possible Police Report Maximum: Expulsion
Physical Assault	An unprovoked physical attack that is criminal in nature.	· Referral to administration · Parent contact/ conference · Referral to guidance counselor · Referral to police	Minimum: Suspension/ Possible Police Report Maximum: Expulsion
Intimidation/ Inciting a Disruptive Incident	Fighting/ tormenting another person by verbal threats/ taunts and/or physical contact, such as punching, tripping, bumping, or inappropriate visual contact.	· Referral to administration · Parent contact/ conference · Referral to guidance counselor · Student contract · Peer mediation	Minimum: Student Conference Maximum: Suspension

Extortion

Attempt to secure money or property through threat of physical harm (explicit or suggested) or intimidation.

· Referral to administration

· Parent contact/

conference

· Referral to guidance counselor

· Referral to police

Minimum:

Suspension

Maximum:

Expulsion

Verbal Abuse/ Inciting a Disruptive Incident

Use of offensive, threatening, or insulting language directed at staff members or other students.

· Referral to administration

· Parent contact/

conference

· Referral to guidance counselor

· Student contract

· Peer mediation

Minimum:

Suspension

Maximum:

Expulsion

Violent Physical Attack on a Staff Member

Use of violent force against any MCPS staff member.

· Expulsion

· Police referral

Minimum/

Maximum:

Expulsion

Police Report

III. RESPONSIBILITY AND RESPECT FOR PROPERTY

BEHAVIOR

DEFINITION

RESPONSE

RANGE OF ACTION

Theft

Stealing and/or possession of items without the owner’s consent.

· Referral to administration

· Parent contact/

conference

· Referral to guidance counselor

· Referral to police

Minimum:

Restitution of Property

Maximum:

Expulsion

Vandalism

Intentional destruction or defacement (graffiti) of any school property, including books, supplies, facilities, and/or equipment.

· Referral to administration

· Parent contact/

conference

· Referral to guidance counselor

· Referral to police

Minimum:

Restitution of Property

Maximum:

Suspension/ Expulsion

IV. RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING PUBLIC DECENCY AND ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

BEHAVIOR

DEFINITION

RESPONSE

RANGE OF ACTION

Gambling

Playing cards or dice for money, tossing coins, or wagering on any activity while on school property.

· Verbal reminder

· Teacher/parent contact

· Referral to administration

· Parent conference

Minimum:

Verbal reminder/

Confiscation

Maximum:

Suspension

Sexual Harassment

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other inappropriate verbal, written, or physical conduct of a sexual nature creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or learning environment.

· Referral to administration

· Parent contact/conference

· Referral to guidance counselor