Excused Absences:

Excused absences require direct parent/guardian communication to the Main Office. Valid reasons include:

• Student illness, medical/dental appointments (with documentation), or illness/dismissal coordinated directly by the School Nurse (Students must not bypass the nurse to arrange rides home).
• Death in the family, religious observances, or court appearances.
• Up to 3 college visits for Grades 11–12 (additional visits require principal approval).
• School-sponsored events (field trips, athletic games) and serious personal circumstances approved by the administration.
• Note: Students must make up missed work within the timeline set by each teacher.

Unexcused Absences:

The following are considered unexcused and count directly toward credit loss limits:

• Family vacations (Please plan vacations when school is not in session. Teachers are not required to provide advance assignments or makeup work for unexcused vacations).
  • The last day of school is tentative and may shift due to snow days. Students are expected to attend through the final day.
• Skipping/cutting class, oversleeping, or staying home due to being too tired.
• Babysitting, family errands, illness of a family member, conflict with guardian's work schedule, waiting for home repair personnel, going to work with a family memeber, or personal transportation issues (car trouble, missed bus).
• Attending concerts, beaches, or sporting events.

Arriving Late to School

• Before 8:45 a.m. without an excuse → Counted as tardy
  • More than 3 unexcused tardies per term → Office detention
  • More than 8 per term → Possible extracurricular ineligibility
• After 8:45 a.m. without an excuse → Counts as skipping first period (1 unexcused absence)

Arriving Late to Class

• Under 15 minutes late → Teacher may assign a detention
• Over 15 minutes late or leaving class for 15+ minutes without permission → Class is marked as skipped; disciplinary referral submitted

To minimize classroom disruptions and ensure student safety, the high school utilizes a structured dismissal process. Please review the mandatory steps for both planned dismissals and illness.

📋 Planned Dismissals (Doctor appointments, family events, etc.)

• Advance Notification: Caregivers must notify the school in advance of the dismissal via a written note, RMHS's online Google Form, an email, or a phone call.
• The Dismissal Pass: Students are required to pick up a physical dismissal pass from the Main Office in the morning before school starts. They must present this pass to their teacher to be excused from class.
• No Classroom Interruptions: To protect instructional time, the Main Office will not interrupt classrooms to call students down, except in absolute emergencies. Please plan ahead.

🩺 If a Student Feels Sick During the Day

• Report to the Nurse's Office: If a student becomes ill during school hours, they must report directly to the school nurse.
• Nurse Coordination: The nurse will assess the student and coordinate the official dismissal with caregivers if necessary.
• Do Not Backchannel: Students should not contact caregivers directly to arrange an early pickup. All medical dismissals must go through the health office to be excused properly.

Arriving excessively late or leaving a classroom without authorization directly impacts a student's academic standing and privileges.

The 15-Minute Rule: Being more than 15 minutes late to a class, or leaving a classroom for 15 or more minutes without permission, is officially classified as skipping class.

🚫 Penalties for Skipping

Violating this policy will result in the following consequences:

Credit Loss Impact: Each instance counts toward your 8-absence limit per class, per semester.

Disciplinary Referral: An official referral will be issued, which can result in detentions, attendance contracts, social probation, or the loss of senior privileges.

No Make-Up Work: Teachers are not required to offer or accept make-up work for any time missed due to skipping.

Truancy is being absent from school without parent/guardian permission or knowledge. Consequences include unexcused absences counting toward credit loss, inability to make up work, disciplinary action, and a potential Child Requiring Assistance (CRA) legal referral.

To earn course credit at Reading High School, regular attendance is required. Exceeding the limits below can directly impact a student's credit, privileges, and graduation timeline.

The Limits:

Accumulating 8 unexcused absences OR 16 unexcused tardies/dismissals per class, per semester, could trigger:

• Loss of Course Credit: Students may lose credit for the class, regardless of their passing academic grade.
• Loss of Senior Privileges & Social Probation: Seniors may lose privileges, and students may be placed on social probation.
• State Reporting: A formal report may be filed with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for educational neglect.
• Intervention: A mandatory family support and intervention meeting will be scheduled.

Restoring Course Credit: Buyback & Recovery Options

When a student who is otherwise passing a class exceeds the absence limits, they will be given an opportunity to save their credit via a tiered system:

• First Line of Action (Attendance Buyback): The student is issued an Attendance Buyback Plan. This must be fully completed within 14 calendar days of the notification date to successfully retain course credit.
• Secondary Line of Action (Credit Recovery): If the student fails to complete the buyback plan on time, or if their number of absences is too high for a buyback plan to cover, they will move into Attendance Credit Recovery.
• What Recovery Looks Like: To earn back their credit at this stage, students will be required to complete specific credit recovery assignments and/or "give back time" by making up hours at school.

To attend or participate in any co-curricular or extracurricular activity (including sports, dances, prom, plays, after-school programs, and PTO-sponsored events), students must be in school on the day of the event.

⏱️ The 12:00 P.M. Rule (Minimum Hours)

To be considered "in attendance" for the day and eligible for activities, a student must meet one of the following criteria:

• Late Arrival: Arrive before 12:00 p.m. and remain for the rest of the day.
• Early Dismissal: Arrive on time and not be dismissed until after 12:00 p.m.

🚫 Participation Restrictions

Students may not attend or participate in activities if:

• Weekend/Holiday Events: They were absent on the prior school day (e.g., missing Friday before a Saturday game).
• Illness: They were dismissed from school due to illness by the school nurse.
• Suspension: They are currently suspended (restrictions apply for the entire duration of the suspension).

📋 Policy Exceptions

Exceptions for specific absences (such as college visits, funerals, or documented appointments) must be cleared with the Principal or their designee in advance.

Days a student serves on suspension are handled differently than standard unexcused absences regarding academic credit and support:

• Credit Loss Exemption: Days served on suspension do not count as unexcused absences toward a student’s credit loss limit.
• Academic Responsibility: Students are fully permitted and required to complete all missed assignments, quizzes, and tests during their suspension to keep up with their classes.
• Extended Support: For suspensions that exceed 10 consecutive school days, the district will provide formal educational support services in accordance with state regulations to ensure the student does not fall behind.