Attendance Information:
The responsibility for regular school attendance of a student rests upon the student’s parents or guardian. The Waupaca School District has devised attendance procedures that stress the importance of regular school attendance and facilitate communication between all concerned parties, especially family and school professional staff. It is clearly our intent to demonstrate a commitment of care and concern for each student’s success in school. Enforcement of student attendance policies and truancy procedures shall be a shared responsibility between the schools, students, parents/guardians, service agencies, law enforcement officials and community.
EXCUSED ABSENCES
Parents should call the Middle School office at (715) 258-4140 by 8:00 AM if their child is not going to be in school unless a pre-arranged absence form has been completed. All excused absences require a parent/guardian verification, either through a written or verbal contact. The school has the right to determine which verification method is acceptable.
Excused absences:
1. personal illness (more than 3 consecutive absences may require a doctor’s note on file excusing for these dates)
2. emergency in the family
3. medical appointments
4. death in the family/funeral
5. religious holiday
6. court and/or legal appearance
7. approved school activities
8. special circumstances approved in advance when possible
PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCE
Students absent for reasons other than those listed above will be considered unexcused with this exception: parents may PRE-EXCUSE their child for any reason for up to ten (10) uses per year. This could be all or part of any school day. This means that any absence for reasons other than the above may be excused providing there is a WRITTEN PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCE FORM submitted. Parent or guardians should send a note to school or call the main office to a arrange a pre-arranged absence form if a student is going to be absent from school for reasons other than those listed above.
DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENTS
If you have a doctor, dentist, or court appointment during the school day, you should bring a note from your parent/guardian to the office before school. You will be given an Excuse form. This slip will be your pass to get out of class.This slip is to be signed by your professional and returned to the main office upon returning to school. Anytime you leave school please stop at the main office to be checked out by office personnel. Your appointment will not be excused unless you return the slip. It is best to schedule appointments outside of the school day to avoid missing valuable instructional time. Once you arrive at school, you must remain on campus until dismissal at the end of the school day.
TARDY POLICY
Student learning at WMS begins at 7:45AM. As such, it is important for all students to be here and ready to learn; however, we realize that sometimes things happen that are beyond your control. All students can obtain 3 tardies without consequence per semester. The 4th and subsequent tardies will be unexcused and will result in contact by the Administration. A student will be considered tardy if they are not in their assigned seat when the class bell rings. Rev. 8-2-18)
TRUANCY
Wisconsin Statute 118.15, Compulsory School Attendance states in part: "any person having under control a child who is between the ages of 6 and 18 years shall cause the child to attend school regularly during the full period and hours, religious holidays excepted, that the public or private school in which the child should be enrolled is in session until the end of the school term, quarter or semester of the school year in which the child becomes 18 years of age."
TRUANT:
A pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for part or all of any day on which school is being held during a semester. Unexcused tardies meet the definition of truancy and students who have multiple tardies may be considered as a habitual truant.
HABITUAL TRUANT:
A pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for part or all of five days on which school is held during a semester. This includes students who oversleep or miss the bus. Wisconsin Act 239, which became effective June 18, 1998, defines a "habitual truant" as a student who is absent without an acceptable cause for part or all of five or more days on which school is held during a semester. Schools are now required by state law to schedule a meeting with the parent/guardian of a habitual truant to discuss the student's truancy and how to solve the problem.
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