Absences
Regular student attendance is necessary to assure academic progress. Parents are required to submit a written excuse within three days of the absence. Excuses are submitted to the attendance table in front of the library prior to homeroom, to the main office, or fax to 610-398-4385. Failure to submit an excuse within the required time will result in the absence being classified as unexcused and/or illegal. Illegal/unlawful absences may result in fines from the magistrate.
Legal (excused) Absence: Legal absences include, but are not limited to, illness of student, quarantine, physical or mental incapacity, doctors’ appointments, death in the family, court summons, violent weather, observances of a religious holiday by bona fide religious groups, religious instruction, school-related field trips or educational activities pre-approved by building administration or State emergency.
Illegal (unexcused) Absence: Absences not meeting the legal/excused absence criteria. Accumulation of more than three unexcused/illegal absences in one school year results in legal action against parents and/or students.
Excessive Absence: Accumulation of absences beyond ten days results in parent contact by letter. Parents of students absent 20 days are required to attend a conference to discuss the problem. If the student’s absences total 30 or more days, the situation is referred to the superintendent’s office for further action.
Absence and Student Activities: Students absent or suspended from school are not permitted to attend or to participate in after school extra-curricular activities or events, nor are they permitted to attend dances or participate in other school-sponsored social activities.
Doctor Excuses: Students who are absent as a result of doctor appointments should request a note from the doctor. The note should indicate the date of the appointment and a recommendation from the doctor as to when the student may return to school.
Extended Absence: Students who will be absent from school for more than three school days should have their parents contact the guidance office secretary at 610-398-4388, who will arrange for assignments and books to be sent home. Such a request for assignments and books should be made by 10 a.m.
Lateness to School
Students who are late to school must submit from the parent a note explaining the reason for lateness. All late students need to report to the office to sign in and to receive a late pass.
Excused Lateness: Lateness due to illness, family emergency, medical tests and/or treatment, court summons, and/or police/legal business. Lateness due to doctor appointments should be verified by a note from the doctor’s office. The note must state the date and time of the appointment
Unexcused Lateness: Lateness not meeting above criteria. Accumulation of more than four unexcused latenesses results in assigned detention. Chronic lateness results in the student being assigned to in-school suspension and possible out-of-school suspension.
Permission to Leave School Early
In no case is a student to leave school during the day without permission from the office. If such permission is necessary, the student must bring to the office before 8 a.m. a written request from home stating the exact time at which he/she is to be dismissed and explaining the reason for the early dismissal.
The student must report to the main office with the pass and sign out before departure. If he/she returns during the same day, he/she must sign in upon returning and receive a pass to return to class.