ATTENDANCE

The Board of Education as an agency of the State is required to enforce the regular attendance of students. The Board recognizes that the presence in the classroom enables the student to participate in instruction, class discussions, and other related activities. As such, regular attendance and classroom participation are integral to instilling incentives for the student to excel.

Attendance shall be required of all District students, except those exempted under Policy 5223 or by other provisions of State law, during the days and hours that the school is in session or during the attendance sessions to which s/he has been assigned.

The Superintendent shall require, from the parent of each student or from an adult student who has been absent for any reason, a written statement and/or confirmation of the cause for such absence. The Board reserves the right to verify such statements and to investigate the cause of each:

A.single absence;

B.prolonged absence;

C.repeated unexplained absence and tardiness.

The Board may report to the Intermediate School District infractions of the law regarding the attendance of students below the age of sixteen (16). Repeated infractions of Board policy requiring the attendance of enrolled students may result in the suspension or expulsion of the student from the District program.

A.The Board considers the following factors to be reasonable excuses for time missed at school:

1.illness

2.recovery from accident

3.required court attendance

4.professional appointments

5.death in the immediate family

6.observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday

7.such other good cause as may be acceptable to the Superintendent

B.Attendance need not always be within the school facilities, but a student will be considered to be in attendance if present at any place where school is in session by authority of the Board.

C.The Board shall consider each student assigned to a program of other guided learning experiences, authorized under Policy 2370, to be in regular attendance for the program provided that s/he reports daily or weekly to such staff member s/he is assigned for guidance at the place in which s/he is conducting study, and regularly demonstrates progress toward the objectives of the course of study.

D.The Board authorizes, but does not encourage the Superintendent, to suspend a student from a particular class or from school if sincere efforts by the staff and parents cannot rectify the pattern of absence. In keeping with its philosophy, the Board supports efforts to provide for out-of-school alternative educational opportunities for truant students rather than to heighten the effects of absence through suspension.

The Superintendent shall develop procedures for the attendance of students which:

A.ensure a school session which is in conformity with the requirements of the law;

B.ensure that students absent for any excusable reason have an opportunity to make up work they missed;

C.ensure the student is not given a failing grade or his/her credit is not unconditionally revoked where lack of attendance is the sole or primary determining factor, but which allow reduction in grade or denial of credit, if the student does not make appropriate use of make-up sessions provided by the instructor or administrator;

D.govern the keeping of attendance records in accordance with the rules of the State Board and the Michigan Department of Education Pupil Accounting Manual, including a written electronic attendance procedure, if applicable;

E.identify the habitual truant, investigate the cause(s) of his/her behavior, and consider modification of his/her educational program to meet particular needs and interests;

F.ensure that any student who, due to a specifically identifiable physical or mental impairment, exceeds or may exceed the District's limit on excused absence is referred for evaluation for eligibility either under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Such guidelines should provide that a student's grade in any course is based on his/her performance in the instructional setting and is not reduced for reasons of conduct. If a student violates the attendance or other rules of the school, s/he should be disciplined appropriately for the misconduct, but his/her grades should be based upon what the student can demonstrate s/he has learned.

© Neola 2004

2220 - ADOPTION OF COURSES OF STUDY

The Board of Education shall provide a comprehensive instructional program to serve the educational needs of the students of this District. In furtherance of this goal and pursuant to law, the Board shall periodically adopt courses of study.

No course of study shall be taught in the schools of this District unless it has been adopted by the Board. The Board shall determine which units of the instructional program constitute courses of study and are thereby subject to the adoption procedures of the Board.

The Superintendent shall recommend to the Board such courses of study as are deemed to be in the best interests of the students. The Superintendent's recommendation shall include the following information about each course of study:

  1. its applicability to students and an enumeration of those groups of students to be affected by it

  2. the intended learning objective(s), defined in terms of how the learning is applied

  3. its scope and sequence and a statement of the rationale used to determine the amount and type of instructional time needed to accomplish the objectives at each level

  4. its justification in terms of the goals of this District, especially when it is proposed to take the place of an existing course of study

  5. its instructional methods and learning strategy including the manner in which the learning of democratic principles and ethics is provided for, if appropriate to the content of the course

  6. the resources that its implementation will require, including instructional materials, equipment, specially-trained personnel, etc.

  7. the plan for its continuous assessment which includes criteria and standards

  8. its developmental and operational history as well as data on results, where available

The learning that results from each course of study should be durable, significant, and transferable and require a high level of student achievement of clearly-defined, cumulative performance objectives.

The plan for student assessment for each course of study should include the criteria and standards that will be used to determine when students may need to participate in remedial, supplemental, or accelerated activities in order to ensure that each student has been provided the opportunity to achieve at his/her optimum level.

Each course of study is intended to provide a basic framework for instruction and learning. Within this framework, each teacher shall use the course of study in a manner best designed to meet the needs of the students for whom s/he is responsible. Deviation from its content must be approved in accordance with the Superintendent's administrative guidelines.

Since one of the District's goals is to prepare students to enter the world of work, the Board directs that each course of study include as part of its learning accomplishments that students can demonstrate their willingness and ability to be punctual, to be present at the learning site each day unless absent for a legitimate reason, and to complete assignments on time and as directed. The Superintendent's guidelines should include recommendations to staff on how to instruct students in these important work ethics and how to include these learnings in the grades that students receive.

The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines which provide for the development of individual learning plans that contain pre and post assessment activities as well as instructional activities for implementing each course of study. Such plans should also provide for proper record-keeping and periodic reporting of student performance. As required for State certification, the Superintendent shall ensure that the appropriate amount of instruction time is allocated to each course of study that comprises the program of each school. The allocation of time is to be determined by the Superintendent and appropriate members of the staff and shall be justified in terms of the amount of time needed for students to accomplish the curriculum objectives of the core curriculum as well as the District's educational outcomes.

In keeping with the Board's commitment to the school improvement process, such guidelines shall also provide for the appropriate participation of staff, parents, students, and relevant community organizations in the review of the District's courses of study.

The Superintendent shall maintain a current list of all courses of study offered by this District.

The list shall include the data on each furnished with the recommendation for its adoption.