The Board of Education recognizes the importance of regular student attendance to a successful learning experience. Research supports the fact that attendance is crucial to improving student achievement. Regular and punctual patterns of attendance will be expected of each student enrolled in the Caruthersville School District No. 18. At the regular meeting of the Board of Education on June 14, 2023 the following revisions were made to the district attendance policy, effective with the 2023-2024 school year.
- Regarding make up work when a student is absent - teachers may set reasonable limits regarding the time frame in which missed work may be completed.
- Students are expected to be in attendance at school. Students whose attendance drops below 90% cumulative attendance will be subject to the following consequences:
- Ineligible for any extracurricular activities, incentives, field trips, etc. until the attendance has improved to 90% or greater.
- Procedure: Attendance will be checked each Friday morning. Students with a cumulative attendance rate of below 90% will be informed that they are ineligible for all extracurricular activities and privileges starting on the following Monday. Students will remain ineligible until an attendance report is run on the following Friday. Students whose attendance has improved to 90% or above will immediately be removed from restrictions. Students whose attendance remains below 90% will continue to be ineligible for participation. Any new student who has dropped below 90% cumulative attendance wil become ineligible until the next Friday attendance check.
- Participation in extracurricular activities: Students who miss any part of the school day may not participate or attend any extracurricular activities or events on that day. Extracurricular activities or events occurring on the weekend will require students to be in attendance the last school day prior to the event. For extreme extenuating circumstances that have been prearranged and properly documented, the building principal may make a case-by-case exception to this policy.
- Students with a cumulative attendance of below 90% at the end of the school year will be required to attend four weeks of summer school.
- Students whose attendance drops below 90% and continues below 90% for more than two weeks may be required to attend attendance recovery. Attendance recovery may be assigned before or after school and / or on Saturdays.
- Extenuating circumstances must be properly documented on the form provided by the school and include all required documentation. The form may be requested from the school and must be completed and submitted to school administration within 5 days of the absence being requested for consideration as an extenuating circumstance.
- Proper documentation must have been provided, as outlined above, for any appeal to be considered.