Attendance Policy
River East Transcona School Division believes that regular attendance and punctuality are positive behaviours that should be fostered in our school system. Regular attendance is necessary for a student to gain the full benefits of educational instruction. Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth has established a minimum of 110 hours of instruction for Grade 9 to Grade 12 students to qualify for each credit toward high school graduation.
Under the Manitoba Public Schools Act, a child must attend school regularly until the age of 16. A student who is not of compulsory school age is required to attend regularly once he/she enrols. In addition, school attendance for all students is conditional upon their behaviour.
Responsibility for attendance
Responsibility for attendance rests jointly with the student and his/her parents/guardians.
Absences
(a) Student absences are categorized as:
Excused
Explained
(b) Absences are considered excused if the activity is initiated by the school. Excused absences may include, but are not limited to, field trips, sports trips, special group trips, conferences, suspensions, etc.
(c) Absences are considered explained if they are for unavoidable cause and are supported by a written note or telephone call from a parent or guardian. An unexplained absence is an act of truancy.
Attendance protocol
(a) Each high school will publicize the attendance policy and their procedures in their handbook, which will be issued to students at the beginning of the school year or at the time of registration.
(b) Attendance will be taken and recorded by teachers on a period-by-period basis each day.
(c) Where the parent/guardian has determined that the student must be absent from school, the parent/guardian must inform the school prior to the scheduled time for that class or no later that one day immediately after the student’s return to school. Students who are 18 years of age or older may phone in their own absence reasons, in lieu of their parents/guardians.
(d) In the case of long-term illness, the student’s absences must be supported by a medical certificate.
Excused absences
(a) After the fifth absence in a subject, the student and parents/guardians will be notified by the school.
(b) Upon the eighth absence in a course, a student may be withdrawn from the course or placed on an attendance contract. Should a student be withdrawn from a course, the parents/guardian will be notified by the administration. Students under 16 will be required to remain in the course but will be placed on academic probation.
(c) Upon the twelfth absence, a student may be withdrawn from the course. Appropriate educational programming will be provided for those students under 16.
(d) Where exceptional circumstances warrant, such as a documented chronic illness, the school administration may grant an extension to students who have accumulated more than the number of explained absences allowed under this policy.
(e) Where a student misses a test or examination due to an explained/excused absence, alternate arrangements will be made by the student/teacher/principal. Where a final examination is missed due to illness, a medical certificate is required.
(f) Where a student is suspended from school, each day of the suspension will be recorded/counted as an excused absence for attendance purposes. While the suspension is in effect, the student will not be allowed participation in extra-curricular/school-sponsored activities. Tests or exams may be administered during this time at an alternate time and location as determined by school personnel.
Lates
A late is defined as arriving at the classroom after the scheduled beginning of instruction. Students are expected to be punctual for all of their classes. A student who arrives at class late not only loses valuable instruction time, but also disrupts the learning of others. Students who arrive 40 minutes or more after class begins will not be admitted to class and will be marked absent for the class unless they present a note from the office or parent/guardian. Students who present a note from the office or parent/guardian will be marked as an explained absence for that class.
(a) After five lates in a subject, the student and parents/guardians will be notified by the school.
(b) Upon the eighth late, the student and parents/guardians will be notified by the teacher by phone.
(c) Upon the twelfth late appropriate action will be taken by the school. This may include but is not limited to detention, suspension or academic probation.
Definitions
(a) Probation Status: Students with chronic attendance problems may be placed on credit withheld status or on an attendance contract developed by the school. Students who are chronically late may be placed on credit withheld status.
(b) Truancy: Students whose absences have no recorded explanation will be considered truant. Students with chronic truancies may be withdrawn from the course or placed on credit withheld status.
Miles Macdonell has a dedicated line for attendance. Parents and/or guardians are requested to contact us at 663-4068 by 8:30 a.m. of the morning that their son or daughter will be absent from school. This line has a 24-hour answering machine.
An automated dialer will call to inform parents/guardians of any explained or unexplained absences.
Attendance Protocol
All Senior Years Schools in RETSD will abide by the Divisional Attendance Policy in handbook, Section 5.
1. At Miles Macdonell Collegiate, we will follow this practice for ABSENCES:
a) at two absences in class, the subject teacher will contact the parent/ guardian/student (if 18 years).
b) at five absences in class, a letter will be forwarded to the parents/guardians and student.
c) at eight absences, the subject teacher will contact the parent/guardian/student (if 18 years) to facilitate contract.
d) at 10 absences, the administration will meet with the student. A student may be withdrawn from the course, or placed on a reduced timetable of courses. The administration will contact the parents/guardians.
Please note the following:
· students under 16 years will be required to remain in the course and will be provided with appropriate educational programming.
· where exceptional circumstances warrant (documented chronic illness), the school administration may grant an extension to students who have accumulated more than the accepted number of explained absences. (12 absences/subject)
2. At Miles Macdonell Collegiate we will follow this practice for LATE ARRIVALS TO CLASS:
a) students who arrive at the classroom after scheduled beginning of instruction will be recorded as late.
· students who arrive more than 15 minutes after the scheduled beginning of instruction will be required to see administration prior to being permitted to go to class.
· students who arrive 40 minutes or more after the scheduled beginning of instruction will not be admitted to class and will be marked absent.
Exception: When students present a note from a parent/guardian they may report directly to that class. If these students arrive 40 minutes after the scheduled beginning of instruction, they will not be permitted into class but will be marked as an EXPLAINED ABSENCE.
b) at five lates in a subject, a letter will be forwarded to the parent/guardian/student (if 18 years).
c) at eight lates, the subject teacher will contact the parents/guardians by phone.
d) at 12 lates, the student will receive a detention in the office equivalent to the length of one class.