JED: Student Absences and Excuses**

Code: JED

Adopted: 1/04/07

Revised/Readopted: 6/09/10; 12/14/11; 9/28/22

Orig. Code: JED

The Board considers regular school attendance essential for educational success. All students are expected to attend school as required by law and by Board policy.

The principal or designee will be responsible for assessing and acting upon parental requests for students to be excused.

The principal or designee has the authority to excuse students for absences due to the following circumstances:

1. Illness, including mental and behavioral health of the student;
2. Illness of an immediate family member when the student’s presence at home is necessary;
3. Emergency situations that require the student’s absence;
4. Student is a dependent of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces^[1] who is on active duty or who is called to active duty. The student may be excused for up to seven days during the school year;
5. Field trips and school-approved activities;
6. Medical (dental) appointments, e.g., physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, dentist. Confirmation of appointments may be required from the health professional;
7. Other reasons deemed appropriate by the school administrator when satisfactory arrangements have been made in advance of the absence, e.g., bereavement, educational/occupational interviews, religious instruction, emergencies.

A student who is excused must still fulfill the school’s requirements.

Each school shall notify parents or guardians by the end of the school day if their child has an unplanned absence. The notification will be either in person, by telephone or another method identified in writing by the parent or guardian. If the parent or guardian cannot be notified by the above methods, a message shall be left, if possible.