Attendance Secretary: Ms. Deltonia Shropshire
Email: Deltonia_N_Shropshire@mcpsmd.org

2011-2012 Attendance Policy Updates

The loss of credit procedures were eliminated during the 2010-2011 school year. However, it was found that the elimination of these procedures resulted in an unprecedented number of students being tardy or not attending class. A team consisting of high school principals and other MCPS staff members created a plan for the 2011-2012 school year to address these issues. The following procedures will be implemented at all high schools this year:

• Students with three unlawful absences in a class will be warned of the possibility of failure and referred to their counselors and administrators. The counselor/administrative team will consult with each student and parent/guardian, verify reasons for absences, and determine appropriate attendance interventions.
• Students who are unlawfully absent from class five times will automatically be required to submit an appeal of the recording of their absences if they or their parents/guardians believe that any absences were recorded incorrectly, or an attendance intervention plan. The counselor/administrative team will assist the student and consult with the teacher regarding requirements for make-up work and the administrator for any behavioral issues. This information will be shared with the student and the student's parents/guardians.
• If the student does not complete either an appeal of attendance recording or an attendance intervention plan and/or continues to be further unlawfully absent, the student will be considered in danger of failing the course.

Attendance appeal and intervention plan forms will be available in the counseling and administrative offices and on the school's website.

Unexcused tardies will be recorded and three unexcused tardies will equal one unexcused/unlawful absence. A tardy is defined as "late to class."

A new attendance program will be part of the MCPS current grade book program (Pinnacle) and if warranted, you will automatically receive one of the following:

• A warning letter or an e-mail if your students has three unlawful absences.
• A letter or e-mail if your student has five unlawful absences to inform you that your student will fail the class unless an appeal or attendance intervention plan is completed.

The new attendance program will be able to:

• Automatically send an e-mail informing the student's counselor and administrators when notices are generated.
• Identify students who are in danger of failing, to assist counselors and administrators in the development of attendance intervention plans.
• Provide period-by-period attendance reports accessible be teachers, counselors, and administrators.
• Provide an automatic notice to administrators of teachers not taking attendance.

Attendance

According to Maryland law (7-301: Compulsory Attendance), every child between the ages of 5 and 16 must attend school. Maryland recognizes home instruction as an alternative to public school enrollment as a means of meeting the compulsory school attendance law (Read more on home schooling).

Students are expected to attend classes unless they have an excused absence. Attendance will be reported to parents on report cards. According to Northwood's procedures, if a student is absent from school, the school will follow up on the absence through an automated calling system that contacts parents to alert them about the absence. If students are late, they may received an after school tardy detention.

Students may miss school for the following reasons:

If a student misses school for any of the reasons listed above, he or she must bring a note from his or her parent our guardian within three school days after the student's return to school. Otherwise, the absence will be considered unexcused. If a student it 18 or older or married, he or she may write the note.

Dr. Johnson may allow students to miss school for work or another activity if the student's parent (or the student, if the student has reached the age of majority) has asked permission five school days in advance.

Dr. Johnson will usually excuse students if they miss school due to one of the following reasons:

• Visiting a college campus
• Participating in a college orientation program
• Interviewing for a job
• Working as part of an approved cooperative education program
• Participating in short-term, full-time work
• Participating in a school-sponsored activity

Family vacations are not usually excused. lf unusual circumstances arise, however, Dr. Johnson may excuse the absence.

Unexcused Absences

An absence that is not excused according to the above conditions is an unexcused absence. If you are late to class three times without valid excuses, that counts as one unexcused absence in the class. If you miss a day of school and are not excused, you will have an unexcused absence in each class you miss.

Tardy Policy

Three unexcused instances of tardiness equal one unexcused absence. Any unexcused tardiness will result in a tardy detention.