Please review carefully the Attendance Procedures that apply to all students enrolled at LGH.  I encourage every parent and student to read the Student Handbook cover to cover as well any inserts:

The Georgia Compulsory Attendance Law states: "It is the duty of every parent, guardian, or other person having control of any child between the child's 7th and 16th birthdays to assure that the child attends a public school, private school or home study program.  Failure to comply constitutes a misdemeanor punishable by up to $100 fine, 30 days imprisonment, or both.  Each day's absence constitutes a separate offense.  Ga. Code 20-2-690.1."

School attendance is the responsibility of both parents and students.

 LGHS Hours                         8:05 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Half Day Count                                       12:05 p.m.

Checkout Cut-Off                                     2:35 p.m.  

Checking In/Checking Out

      Students arriving to school after 8:05 a.m. must report to the attendance window to sign-in and receive a tardy slip.  Students will only be allowed three (3) handwritten parent notes to excuse a tardy to school due to personal illness or reasons listed in the student handbook as excusable.

     Students who accumulate excessive unexcused check-ins or check-outs will be subject to an administrative referral.  Upon returning to school from checkout the student must provide documentation for the checkout to be changed to excused.  If anyone other than a parent or legal guardian is to sign a student out of school, the note the student brings in the morning must indicate the person's name and relationship to the student and include the parent's telephone number for verification.

EXCUSED POLICY

State law requires school attendance for students ages 6 to 16.  Henry County Board of Education Policy states that students will be excused from school according to the reasons listed in the student handbook.  LGHS students are allowed 8 handwritten parent notes for the school year for excusable absences.  All excuses (Doctor or Parent note) must be received the first day back to school no later than the third day back to school. 

Absences are UNEXCUSED for all other reasons, including but not limited to:  missing bus, family visits, driver’s permit/license, oversleeping, car trouble, vacations, babysitting, trips, running errands and/or skipping school.  Class work and/or tests may not be made up for unexcused absences.

 I.  The attendance office will not take phone calls for student checkouts.  We must either have a note from the parent, which will be verified, or the parent must come to the attendance office with their I.D. to check the student out.  Identification is required by Locust Grove High School before a student will be called out of class. 

II.  ONLY persons listed on the emergency card will be able to checkout students.  Please make sure that all contact names are included on this card.  (exceptions:  refer to last paragraph of checking in/checking out) 

III.  Students will not be allowed to call for checkout unless they are visibly ill.

IV.  In the interest of preserving the instructional environment we do not allow checkouts after 2:35 P.M.

V.  Students are required to come to the attendance office for any calls regarding checkouts due to illness (cell phone use during school hours is prohibited).  Students that choose to use cell phones to call parents will be subject to disciplinary action. 

AWOLS(TRUANCY)

Students who leave campus without checking out or who are absent from school without parent permission will be considered truant (AWOL).  Students who skip a portion of a class, a full class, or several classes are considered truant.  A referral will be submitted to the administrator of that student. They will not be allowed to make up missed assignments for being AWOL.

Procedures for Students Who Drive To School:

I.  The student should take his/her checkout note to the attendance office before 8:05 a.m.  The note must have the students first and last name, a date, time of checkout, reason, parent signature and parent's telephone number.

II.  The attendance office staff will call to verify the note and once verified, prepare a pass for the student to come to the attendance office at checkout time if checkout is during class time.  The student will need to pick up this pass between classes prior to checkout time.

III.  The student will then come to the attendance office at checkout time to receive their checkout slip in order to leave the premises.

 Student Handbook

Student Handbooks will be issued the first day of school to every student enrolled at Locust Grove High School.  Teachers will review information within the handbook with all the students.  Parents and students are asked to sign the "Student & Parent Handbook" Acknowledgement Form and return it to their teacher by Friday, August 10, 2012.  Any questions regarding Attendance can be found in the Henry County Student & Parent Handbook on pages 3, 4, and 5.  You are encouraged to read the student handbook cover to cover as well any inserts for the handbook.

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