Wayne Central School District

Parents should call the school to report their child’s absence. A written excuse, signed by a parent or guardian, stating the reason can ALSO be presented by the student on the day when returning to school following each absence. This is very helpful to both the attendance personnel and the school nurse. Failure to do so will result in an illegal absence.

Wayne Central’s practice dictates that if we have not heard from a student’s parent, we will call the parent to determine why the student is not in school.

After fifteen days of absences in a semester, the principal or designee will send a letter to initiate interventions to improve attendance. If attendance issues persist, the student will be referred to the Pupil Services Team to discuss additional strategies to improve attendance.

Students not in their classrooms when school starts are considered either absent or tardy. 

If students arrive late they should:

• Report to the attendance personnel immediately.
• Turn in an excuse explaining why they are late.
• If students do not have a note, they should submit one from a parent or guardian to the attendance personnel the following day explaining the tardiness.

We believe that students need to be in school for the entire school day, not just part of the day. Request for early dismissal should be very few and far between, unless a child suddenly becomes ill in school or there is a sudden family emergency. As a result, you should strive to make all necessary doctor appointments and travel plans after school, on weekends, or during breaks in order to minimize disruption to the student’s education and to minimize the onus on the parent or guardian to make a trip to take their child out of school.

Students should bring a signed letter from their parent or guardian indicating that they will be leaving on a particular day, as well as the time and reason for leaving plus the parent or guardian’s contact information. Students should take this letter to the Nurses Office on that same day to so the information can be processed.

A phone call for an early dismissal request due to a last minute appointment will require validation of an appointment from the provider. Leaving early to go to work
is not a legal reason for early dismissal.

NO STUDENT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, IS TO LEAVE SCHOOL OR SCHOOL GROUNDS WITHOUT BEING OFFICIALLY EXCUSED. THE ONLY PERSONS AUTHORIZED TO OFFICIALLY EXCUSE STUDENTS ARE THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS AND ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL.

A STUDENT MUST ATTEND ALL SCHEDULED CLASSES FOR THE ENTIRE DAY TO ATTEND SCHOOL SPONSORED EVENING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE PROM, SENIOR BANQUET, MUSICAL, ATHLETIC EVENTS, TALENT SHOW, MASTERMINDS, ETC.

It is extremely important that an emergency phone number be on file with the school where parents or a guardian may be reached during school hours.

If a student becomes ill or is involved in an accident on school property during school hours, it should be reported to the nurse’s office immediately. If it is determined that the student is to leave school, the school nurse will contact the parent or guardian and sign the student out.

(Click here to access the Board Attendance Policy)

School attendance is both a right and a responsibility. The Board of Education recognizes that consistent school attendance, academic success, school completion and success in the workplace have a direct correlation. The school district also wishes to become an active partner with students, parents and the community in the task of ensuring that all students meet or exceed the New York State Learning Standards.

All absences, both excused and unexcused, are counted toward the cumulative total days of absence. No distinction will be made between excused and unexcused absences for notification purposes. Participation in non-school sponsored events such as family trips, family college visits, artistic events, community events, etc. will be recorded as an absence from class, and subsequently will be added to the absence record for the purposes of attendance.

Days for which a student is assigned home tutoring or other school approved tutoring shall be counted as regular class attendance. Days for which a student is suspended from school will not be counted as absences. Alternate equivalent instruction will commence as soon as possible upon suspension. NYS Education Law does not require alternative equivalent instruction after the school year in which the student turns sixteen (16) years of age.

Approved school sponsored field trips will not count as an absence from class. Band and chorus lessons will not count as absences if the student presents a valid pass from the band/chorus teacher.

The approved attendance document will be the official record of student attendance with regard to this policy.

Students will be considered in attendance if they are:

• Physically present in the classroom or working under the direction of the classroom teacher during the scheduled class meeting time
• Working pursuant to an approved independent study program
• Receiving approved alternative instruction

Upon returning to class following an absence, tardiness or early departure, it shall be the responsibility of the student to consult with his/her teacher(s) to make arrangements to make-up missed work, assignments and/or tests. In accordance with this policy, students have ten (10) school days to make-up any work missed because of an excused absence. Work missed during an unexcused absence from class may receive reduced credit or no credit. Students should be made aware of each teacher’s make-up work policy at the beginning of the year/course. 

• Students must attend classes on time and every day that school is in session.
• Students should meet with teachers to request make-up opportunities after an absence.
• Be aware of each teacher’s make-up policy.

Work missed during a “skip” from class should be provided, but may receive reduced or no credit according to board policy. Students will be made aware of each teacher’s makeup work policy at the beginning of the year/course.

Students who are legally absent may request and will be allowed to make-up missed work. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher to ascertain which assignments must be completed to make up the missed work. All absences, excused or unexcused, are counted toward the cumulative total days of absence.

Excused: An absence, tardiness, or early departure may be excused if due to personal illness, illness or death in the family, impassable roads due to inclement weather, religious observance, quarantine, required court appearances, attendance at health clinics, approved college visits, approved cooperative work programs, military obligations, or other such reasons as may be approved by the Board.

Unexcused: An absence, tardiness, or early departure is considered unexcused if the reason for the lack of attendance does not fall into the above categories (e.g., family vacation, hunting, babysitting, haircut, late night, missing school bus, car trouble, oversleeping).

Any student who has been absent for twenty (20) consecutive, unexcused days will be dropped from enrollment. Students may re-enroll before the end of the school year.

A written excuse signed by a parent or person in parental relation should be presented by the student when returning to school following each absence.