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Sachem North High School

Attendance Policy

Every student has a right to educational opportunities that will enable the student to develop his or her fullest potential. In principle, regular classroom attendance is a major component of academic success. The early identification of attendance problems, together with cooperation among parents, students, teachers, administrators and support staff will foster improvement in student achievement.

All students must maintain ninety percent (90%) attendance in each class to be eligible for credit. Each semester, pupils who are absent more than five (5) days in an alternating day course or nine (9) days in a course meeting every day during the semester will be declared ineligible to earn credit in that class. All absences, regardless of whether excused or unexcused, are considered in determining whether a student has exceeded the maximum amount of absences allowed.

Truancy, class cutting, and/or illegal lateness, are counted against the 90% requirement. In addition, as violations of Sachem’s rules, they carry penalties of detention or in-school suspension and, in persistent and unresolvable cases, placement in an alternative setting.

A student, who arrives to class up to fifteen minutes after the bell, is considered late. A student who arrives to class more than fifteen (15) minutes late is considered absent.

A student denied credit for attendance reasons would be denied the following privileges for the remainder of the year.

  1. to attend any school social event, including all proms, all banquets and if applicable, senior trip
  2. to participate in school clubs or on school teams
  3. to park on school property
  4. to take the class in summer school, if it is a full year course
  5. Any student denied credit would not be eligible for participation in any BOCES vocational program for the following year.

Excused absences are defined as absences due to personal illness, illness or death in the family, impassable roads or weather, religious observance, quarantine, required court appearances, attendance at health clinics, approved college visits, approved cooperative work programs, military obligations, or such other reasons as may be approved by the Commissioner of Education.

The attendance guidelines apply to Physical Education as well. Several unique situations have developed to assist students in meeting their Physical Education responsibilities.

  • An early morning or 9th period make-up is offered through prior arrangement with Mrs. Wolffer. Make-ups are for students who miss class due to absence, music lessons, guidance appointments, etc.
  • Students with medicals will be required to attend Sportsfolio classes to make up for missed P.E. classes. Medicals are not retroactive; they must be submitted to the Nurse within two (2) weeks of the medical problem which affects the student’s ability to participate. An “Until Further Notice” medical will be valid for up to two (2) months. The medical must be updated at that time.
  • Students unprepared for class must make up each class as provided above. Illegal absences (cuts) may not be made up.