Student - Parent Handbook

Attendance
Regular attendance is absolutely essential to the progress of a student. This is necessary to keep up with the daily work and to conform with state statutes.

Time: School begins at 8:10 am and ends at 3:00 pm. Students must be in their classroom when the 8:10 bell sounds or they will be considered tardy.

Absence: Absences will be excused for the following reasons:

	A.	Short-term illness must be verified by written notice from parents.
	B.	Long-term illness must be verified by a physician. Please be reminded that the consensus among physicians is that your child should be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school. Also, if your child is absent for a prolonged illness (more than 5 days) a doctor's excuse will be required upon their return.
	Death - usually only in the immediate family
	Medical appointments
	Previously arranged trips - pre-excused days

A student who has been absent from school must present a note (using the standard form provided by the school) on the day of his return to the school. The note must be filled out and signed by the parent/guardian and contain the following information:

	Date(s) of absence
	Specific reason for absence
	Signature of parent

Students in grades 7-12 are to bring their excuse notes to the school office the first thing in the morning, before attending homeroom or classes. Since a student will not be admitted to class without a note or admission slip (grades 7-12), a temporary slip may be obtained from the school office. If an excuse note is not returned the next day, the absence will become unexcused and the work cannot be made up.

Students in grades K-6 are to turn their excuse notes in to their respective teachers. The principal will decide whether an absence is excused or unexcused.

Grades K-12: If a student is absent more than twenty days (including the pre-excused days) during the school year, HPBA reserves the right to retain the student at the same grade level. In the high school, this would result in a loss of credit for any course in which the student has accumulated ten or more absences per semester.

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