Attendance at all school sessions is necessary for the academic and social growth of all students. To receive full academic credit for courses passed, every student is expected to attend a minimum of at least 83 days during each semester. A student who does not meet this minimum requirement will lose academic credit for those courses. 

Absences will only be excused for illness that is certified by a doctor's note, court appearances supported by a document from the court, appointments involving certified outside agencies, bereavement of a family member, and authorized school sponsored activities.  Students who have a chronic medical condition must provide a doctor’s note at the start of each school year and may utilize a parent's note to verify absences related to their condition.  Parents should call the associate headmaster's office on the day a student is absent and send a note with the student upon their return to school.

Any student who is absent for five or more consecutive days due to illness may not return to school without written consent from a doctor.  Out-of-school suspensions and family vacations will not be excused.

Parents will be notified by letter from an associate headmaster if their son/daughter is in danger of a violation of this policy. The student who is in violation of this policy, exceeding 7 unexcused absences, must meet with their respective associate headmaster and guidance counselor to sign a Taunton High School Attendance Contract. Parents are encouraged to attend this meeting as well.  The student must adhere to the provisions of this contract in order to receive credit for courses passed during that semester.  The appointment for the attendance contract must be made through the student’s guidance counselor within five days of the conclusion of that semester.

When a student is absent, parents/guardians must call the associate headmaster:

                                             Student’s Last Name:

            Mr. Brennan              821-1113/1114                   A – Fe

            Mr. Byron                 821-1115 /1116                  Fi – N

            Mrs. Cappiello          821-1133/1237                   O – Z

Students who have missed days of school, will strongly be encouraged to make up those days of absence through attendance at one of the many district sponsored attendance make up days.  These fully instructional sessions will provide students with an educational opportunity to enhance their personal attendance record.

APPEAL PROCESS

Students found to be in violation of the attendance policy, and who do not complete the attendance contract with their respective associate headmaster, may have their credits pulled from their academic record for that semester.  They may appeal this decision through the following:

• Level I              Associate Headmaster
• Level II            Headmaster
• Level III           Superintendent of Schools (or designee)

A student is allowed only one appeal in their four years at T.H.S.

TRUANCY

In accordance with the attendance policy, all students are expected to attend school each day.  Absent students must have a parent/guardian telephone call into their child’s respective associate headmaster on the day of absence so the student is not found to be truant.  Students who do not follow attendance procedures when absent from school may be considered truant and subject to Saturday detention, or out-of-school suspension as a result.  Students who intentionally arrive late to school may be considered truant and subject to a Saturday detention.  The Taunton High School administration does not recognize or condone organized student skip days.

TARDY TO SCHOOL

Students are expected to be on time for school.  Arriving late results in the loss of valuable school time and interferes with the learning process.  Any student arriving after 10:30 a.m. will be considered absent for that school day. Students who intentionally arrive late to school shall be considered a.m. truant on that date, thereby subject to a Saturday detention or a suspension from school.  Student athletes should refer to page 39 for daily attendance eligibility.

Students who accumulate three unexcused tardies during a month will be subject to two hours of detention. Seven unexcused tardies will result in a Saturday detention. Tardies will only be excused in accordance with the attendance policy.  Failure to serve detentions may result in a Saturday detention or a one day out-of-school suspension.  Students who violate the tardy policy will have their driving privileges and eligibility for extra-curricular activities placed under review through their respective associate headmaster.

TARDY TO CLASS

A student arriving tardy to class within the first 30 minutes of class, will be marked present.  If the student arrives after this, the student will be marked absent.  Teachers will assign detention for tardiness to their classes.  Students who are chronically tardy to class will be referred to their associate headmaster.

EARLY DISMISSAL FROM SCHOOL

No student is to leave school without an early dismissal slip from the appropriate associate headmaster.  Students wishing to be dismissed early must present their request to the associate headmaster before A Block.  A student who is dismissed before 11:15 a.m. will be considered absent from school on that date unless the student returns to school no later than 1:00 p.m.  A student who leaves the building unauthorized (p.m. truancy) may be assigned a Saturday detention.

A call from the parent/guardian must confirm the request.  A dismissal slip will be issued at the end of A Block.  Students may be released by the school nurse if the extent of the illness is sufficient to warrant dismissal.  This slip must be stamped in the associate headmaster's office before leaving.

• Students being dismissed from school must be picked up in front of the building at the flagpole.
  
• Students may not initiate their dismissal from school by making calls from the associate headmaster's office.