Attendance

Policy



  Davis High School, Davis School District, and Utah State Law requires that students attend regularly, and that parents bear considerable responsibility in helping to ensure that students are in school when they are required to be there. The guidelines for student attendance at Davis High are as follows:
 
1.   All absences must be verified within three days upon the student’s return to school.

2.  Students / Parents are responsible for ensuring that all absences are verified through the Attendance Office.  A telephone call WILL NOT clear an absence.  Clearing an absence may be accomplished in one of four ways:
 (1) Reply back from the email that has been sent from the district.
(2) E-mailing the Attendance Secretary at dhsattendance@dsdmail.net;  
(3) Having a parent or guardian come to the Attendance Office in person.
(4) If the internet is unavailable you may bring in a note with a phone number verification, students first and last name, student number, grade and reason for absence.
 
3.  Absences that may be verified by a parent include: family emergency, illness, medical appointment, or a funeral. In all four cases, the following information must be provided: the exact dates and periods the student was absent, the reason for the absence, and a phone number where the parent or guardian may be reached should a question arise if further verification is necessary. Parents or guardians may contact the Attendance Office at (801) 402-8806 during regular office hours (6:30 AM. - 2:30 PM., Monday through Friday).

4.  School-excused absences are recorded and are considered part of the education process. All school-excused absences must be authorized in advance. Students will be allowed to make-up missed work for parent verified absences, and school excused absences, without losing points, if the work is made up in a reasonable amount of time.Each teacher will determine what that time is for his or her class, as explained in their disclosure. Teachers are not required to allow a student to make-up work or a test if the student has been truant from their class and the teacher may choose not to allow make-up work for an absence that is not verified by a parent or legal guardian.

5.  Students are considered absent if they are late to class by more than twenty minutes or are not making an honest effort to get to class on time.

6.  Students who are less than 20 minutes late for 1st or 5th periods should report directly to class. Students who arrive later than twenty minutes for 1st or 5th period need to report to the attendance office before reporting to class. These students will need verification from a parent or guardian explaining the absence. 

7.  Students who leave school before the end of the day are required to check out through the Attendance Office by bringing a note from the parent to show their teachers and then turning the note in to the attendance office to check-out. This may be done with parent or guardian permission only. Students who leave school or class without permission may be considered truant.

8.  If a student has been marked absent incorrectly, they need to check with the attendance office to determine the class period it was in, and then talk to the teacher who marked them absent to correct the absence. 

9.  Three or more unexcused absences qualify a student for a “U” citizenship grade, as does being tardy four or more times.
 
10.  Attendance at advisories/tutorials is required; more than two unexcused absences in advisory/tutorial will result in an F grade being given. 

Absences must be cleared by a parent/guardian in writing, either via email or verifiable note if internet is unavailable.


Davis High School recognizes that regular and prompt attendance increases opportunities for students to profit from their educational programs. Frequent absences of students from regular classroom learning experiences disrupt the continuity of the instructional process. Davis High School follows these Board of Education approved school academic participation principles:
 
1.  The entire process of education requires regularity of instruction;

2.  The goal of achieving maximum education benefits requires regular attendance, classroom participation, and study;

3.  It is reasonable to require class participation in evaluating student progress;

4.  Regular contact of students with each other in the classroom, and student participation in well-planned instructional activities under the direction of a competent teacher are essential to the learning experience.

PHONE CALLS MAY NOT CLEAR AN ABSENCE
  
•Absences must be cleared within three school days of the student's return. 

•Absences must be cleared by a parent or guardian. 

•A forged note will result in disciplinary action. 

•If your student DID NOT miss the class in which they were marked absent, please have your student talk to the teacher.