TONKA TALKS TO PARENTS Principal’s Message

North Kansas City School District
Winnetonka High School
TONKA TALKS TO PARENTS
October 2014
Winnetonka High School
5815 NE 48th Street
Kansas City, MO 64119
Main Phone: 816-413-5500
Attendance: 816-413-5501
Nurse:
816-413-5502
Counseling:
816-413-5503
Registrar:
816-413-5518
Activities:
816-413-5538
Main Fax:
816-413-5505
WHS Web Site:
www.nkcschools.org/wths/
Principal’s Message
Dear: Winnetonka Parents and Guardians:
I would like to remind you of the importance of good student attendance on a
daily basis for academic success in high school. Please refer to pages 10-12 in
this newsletter as NKCSD adopted requirements for the student attendance
policy.
We are pleased again this school year to offer after school Academic Help
Sessions at Winnetonka HS. These sessions will take place on Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday of most week’s throughout the school year from 2:30
to 4:00 p.m. Transportation is available for students, please have them
contact the main office to sign up for after school transportation for their
attendance to these Academic Help Sessions.
Reminder, we will be hosting our 2nd date for Fall Parent Teacher
Conferences on Thursday, October 24 - 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the main and
auxiliary gymnasiums.
Please feel free to contact us when you have questions or concerns at
816-413-5500.
Matthew C. Lindsey
Principal
NKCSD Web Site:
SCHOOL
CALENDAR
www.nkcschools.org/
Mr. Matthew C. Lindsey; Principal
matthew.lindsey@nkcschools.org
Mr. Joshua Peters; Asst. Principal
joshua.peters@nkcschools.org
Mr. Jeff Rich; Activities Director
Asst. Principal / A+ Coordinator
jeff.rich@nkcschools.org
Dr. Dwayne Smith; Asst. Principal
dwayne.smith@nkcschools.org
Ms. Dixie Wescott; Asst. Principal
October 30
Parent-Teacher Conferences; 3:00 – 8:00 p.m.
October 31
No School
November 26-28
December 19
December 22-January 2
January 5
No School Thanksgiving Vacation
End of 1st Semester-Winter Vacation-Dismiss 10:45
No School - Winter Break
Second Semester begins for staff and students
dixie.wescott@nkcschools.org
January 19
No School - Martin Luther King Day
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
PAGE 2
TONKA
Class of 2015
Graduation
As the Class of 2015 begins their final
year of High School, it is both an exciting and busy
time. Seniors and parents have many things to keep
track of to be prepared for Graduation day. It is important to listen for information on morning announcements, watch for information posted in the
building and check e-mail regularly. Mark your calendar for the following Graduation activities for the
Class of 2015 that have been scheduled:
Thursday, May 7; 7:00 p.m.
Senior Honors Night - Auditorium
Winnetonka High School operates a FREE
thrift store at our school. The program offers
clothing and hygiene items. However in order
for this to work, we need donations! Any
clothing, shoes or extra hygiene donations
would be welcomed and can be dropped off at
the attendance office as you enter our school.
Tax receipts can be provided as well. No
donation is too small and we need all sizes and
conditions of clothes. Well worn is just fine.
Wednesday, May 13; 7:00 p.m.
Baccalaureate - Auditorium
Newspaper
subscriptions
Thursday, May 14
Seniors last day of school
8:00 a.m.
Required senior meeting to participate in Commencement
7:00 p.m.
Commencement
Community of Christ Auditorium; Independence
For $13.00 you can subscribe to
the Griffin Rites and have all
nine issues mailed to your
home.
Activity Tickets
Students may purchase an activity ticket at
any time during the school year. The cost
of the activity ticket is $40 and it admits
students to all regular season home football, volleyball, basketball, soccer and wrestling contests. It is not valid for tournaments and away contests.
Parents may also purchase an activity ticket
for $20 and it has a value of $30. Adult activity tickets will be available for purchase
at registration and at each of the home athletic contests.
Parking Stickers
Parking stickers will be sold at registration on August 4 and
5 to Juniors and Seniors who need a parking pass.
Applications will be available at registration. To receive a
parking sticker, students must have:

A completed application signed by their parent

Valid driver’s license

Proof of insurance for the vehicle that will be driven

$35.00 for full year
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
Retake or Student Yearbook
Pictures
Mark your calendars! Make up or Retatke
Pictures for freshmen, sophomores and
juniors will take place on October 29,
2014 . Picture package information will be
available in the main office.
PAGE 3
Senior Yearbook
Pictures
Reed Portrait Studio
7821 N Oak Trafficway
(816) - 436 - 5550
All seniors must have their pictures taken at Reed
Portrait Studio in order to be included in the 2014
yearbook. Seniors may contact Reed at 436-5550
to schedule a sitting. All senior pictures must be
taken by October 28 in order to be included in
the yearbook.
Odyssey Yearbook
2015 Yearbook
How to order the 2015 yearbook:
OPTION 1: Order in person at parent/
teacher conferences (Oct. 30 3-8 pm)
at the yearbook table ($70 cash or
check payable to Winnetonka) or bring
money to Mrs. Drobeck at school
OPTION 2: Save time! Get the most
options! Order online at
yearbookforever.com
By ordering
online through this site, you also have
options including: stamping your
student’s name on his/her book, icons
to personalize the book, protective covers, year-in-review pages, autograph
pages, or packages combining one or
more of these options. These are only
available with online orders at this
website.
OPTION 3: You may order online
with a credit card through the school
district with the WebStore:
1.
Visit the school district website at
www.nkcschools.org
2.
Click on the shopping cart icon.
3.
Pay using a Discover, MasterCard
or VISA debit or credit card.
Senior Tributes
What is a Senior Tribute? This is a
chance for parents/guardians/
grandparents to celebrate your senior’s
special year and achievements in the
yearbook. You have the chance to put
your favorite pictures (ranging from
birth to now) of your senior in the
Senior Tribute Section of the yearbook
along with a personalized message
from you and your family congratulating them and/or wishing them well in
the future. You may pick up senior
tributes guidelines in the main office or
from school website.
How to reserve space for your
senior’s tribute
STEP 1:Complete online order form at
http://tinyurl.com/
tonkaseniortribute2015
STEP 2: Purchase tribute.
Purchasing Option 1: Mail payment
to Winnetonka High School,
Attn: Bethany Drobeck/Odyssey 5815
NE 48th St., Kansas City, MO 64119
Purchasing Option 2: Send payment
with your senior to school and deliver
it to Mrs. Drobeck’s mailbox or office---D9 or pay at Parent/Teacher Conferences
Purchasing Option 3: Order online.
Discover, MasterCard or VISA debit or
credit card.
STEP 3:Email photo(s) and message
to bethany.drobeck@nkcschools.org by
Dec. 5
Emailing your message allows us to
copy and paste it as you have typed it,
helping us prevent errors.
Tribute Pricing and Sizes
Full page $300 up to 4 pictures and
175 words *full color
Half page $175 up to 3 pictures and
125 words *full color
Quarter page $100 up to 2 pictures
and 75 words *full color
Eighth page $50 up to 1 picture and 40
words *full color
All order forms, photos, messages and
payments must be submitted to Mrs.
Drobeck by Friday, December 5.
Alumni Yearbooks
The yearbook staff has copies of nearly
every yearbook in Winnetonka's history
for sale. Check out our facebook album
of alumni yearbooks with pictures and
pricing info at
facebook.com/winnetonkaodyssey. To
set up purchases, please email Mrs.
Drobeck at
bethany.drobeck@nkcschools.org
Twitter
Follow us on twitter at
Tonka_yearbook for sneak peeks of
pages, sales info, fun events and more!
PAGE 4
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
Items Dropped Off /
Deliveries
Please encourage your student to come
prepared for the day. With our schedule
there are very few times we can contact
a student without interrupting class.
We also want to encourage student
accountability and responsibility.
Flowers, balloons and candy
arrangements should be scheduled
for home delivery only.
Administrator &
Counselor
Appointments
If you need to meet with an administrator or counselor you must schedule an
appointment by calling 816-413-5500.
To schedule a visit with a teacher, email
is the preferred way to contact. You will
find contact information on the
Winnetonka website
www.nkcschools.org/wths.
Winter Sports
Winter Sports practices begin on Monday, November 3 for basketball and
wresting. Novermber 17 for girls Swim
and Dive. All participants must have a
current physical on file with the Activities Office before he/she can practice.
A valid physical for this year must be
dated after
February 1, 2014.
Food and Nutrition Services
Lunch money may be put on students accounts but
must be paid with a separate check made payable to
WHS. Lunch tickets may also be purchased online
by going to:
https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/
Follow the directions on the screen. For assistance
please contact us at 413-5504.
Meal Prices 2014-2015
High School $ 2.35
Free/reduced $ .00
Breakfast:
Student
$ 1.35
Free/reduced $ .00
Free and reduced lunch forms can be found at:
nkcschools.org/page.cfm?p=2442
Lunch:
Currently we have 46% of our parents using PowerSchool. If you are currently NOT using this tool to monitor
your student’s progress, please create an account at
https://powerschool.nkcschools.org/public/
If you are unsure of what your username and password is,
contact Mrs. Wiltfong at 413-5561 or e-mail her anytime at pamela.wiltfong@nkcschools.org
(Between the hours of 7:45-3:45)
Important Features in PowerSchool:
 Email Notification: Receive weekly email alerts for the summary of your student’s current
grades and attendance.
 Grades and Attendance: Click on your child’s grades to see specifics in each particular class
(Scores on homework, tests, homework that has been assigned, assignments not turned in,
etc….).
 Attendance History to see if/when absences have occurred.
 On the main PowerSchool screen, click on the teacher’s name to send an e-mail
Balance: check your student current balance on fees.
Is your student signed up to take a class with “College” in its title? This might include College English,
College Algebra, College Spanish and/or College Calculus. If so, be sure to ask your child for eligibility
and payment information for these classes. Teachers will share information with students in the first
couple of weeks about how to determine whether they are eligible and how to pay for these classes.
Contact the student’s teachers in these classes or your child’s counselor for more information.
Dual
Credit
Courses
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
WHY YOUR EMAIL IS IMPORTANT TO US








Important school information shared
Quarterly Parent Newsletters
Teacher and Counselor communications
Important dates and events
Senior information shared
A+ information shared
NKC District information shared
Saves NKC District money
If you haven’t received an email from us during First
Semester, please contact Pam Wiltfong at 413-5561 or
pamela.wiltfong@nkcschools.org
1st Six Weeks
2nd Six Weeks
1st Semester
Final
4th Six Weeks
5th Six Weeks
2nd Semester
Final
nd
2 Semester
Final (Seniors)
PAGE 5
YouthFriends connects caring
adult volunteers from the
community with students in our
schools. All YouthFriend volunteers are screened and trained.
To volunteer or get more information
on YouthFriends contact Amy Maskil,
Coordinator of Community & Volunteer
Programs, North Kansas City Schools,
816-413-5479 or Irma Hayes,
Winnetonka YouthFriends Building
Coordinator, 816-13-5635.
Grading Periods and Grade Card/Progress Report
Distribution 2014-2015
Grading
Grades and
Print Report
Distribution of Grade
Period Ends
Comments due by
Cards/Progress Cards/Progress Reports
3:00 p.m.
Reports
9/24/14
9/25/14
9/26/14
9/29/14 during
Advisory
11/5/14
11/6/14
11/7/14
11/10/14 during
Advisory
12/19/14
1/7/15*
1/8/15
1/12/15 during
Advisory
2/18/15
2/19/15
2/20/15
2/23/15 during
Advisory
4/8/15
4/9/15
4/10/15
4/13/15 during
Advisory
5/20/15
5/20/15*
5/21/15
5/22/15 mailed home
5/13/15
HOMEWORK
Whenever possible, make-up work should
be arranged prior to absences. Students who
have been absent for excusable reasons have
the opportunity to make up work for full
credit. It is the responsibility of the student
to contact his/her teacher(s) to determine
make up assignments and establish a mutually agreeable time for assignment and test
make up. Staff emails and phone numbers
can be found at http://www.nkcschools.org/
page.cfm?p=1567
5/13/15 *
5/14/15
5/14/15 at
Commencement
WEATHER ALERTS
Demographic Change
If you wish to receive weather alerts
and other emails from our Central
Office District Communications
Office, please make sure to put
michelle.cronk@nkcschools.org in
your favorites and to make sure this
email address has not been blocked.
If you need to change any
information regarding your
student enrollment
information, please contact
Mrs. Wiltfong at 413-5561 or
e-mail her anytime at
pamela. wiltfon@nkcschools.org
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
PAGE 5
BOOSTER CLUB
The Winnetonka Booster Club/
PTSA actively supports the
activities of the various student
groups, clubs and sports teams,
and sponsors spirit-building
events throughout the school
year. Currently, we are busy
organizing a few spring events
including the spring rally, afterprom, and the annual golf tournament. We will also be
promoting WHS pride at the
Craft Fair on December 6 where
we will sell Tonka gear.
Additionally, some members
will be volunteering time to
assist with the WHS Forensic
Tournament on October 17-18.
The Booster Club/PTSA meets
on the second Monday of each
month during the school year at
6:00 pm in the Winnetonka
Media Center. We encourage
everyone
to
attend
and
contribute ideas, and appreciate
your support as a member even
if you aren’t able to attend the
meetings. If you’re already a
member, thank you! If not,
please consider joining the
Booster Club for just $10
(includes free admission to one
home game for each of seven
Griffin
teams,
including
Football, Volleyball, Boys and
Congratulations to Terry Bond-Rynard, Class of
1982 and Amy Brown-Muller, Class of 1984, for
their induction into the Winnetonka Alumni Hall
of Fame this year.
The Winnetonka Hall of Fame Selection Committee is seeking Winnetonka graduates who exemplify the values,
traditions, and success of Winnetonka High School.
The Committee invites nominations for candidates for the
Winnetonka Alumni Hall of Fame. The Committee will select
candidates from nominations to honor and recognize those
alumni of Tonka. They should inspire and encourage our present students to excel in their chosen fields. Deadline to
submit nominations are April 30, 2015.
If you are interested in seeing who has already been inducted
into the Hall of Fame or get a nomination form, please visit
our website at:
http://www.nkcschools.org/page.cfm?p=1565
please
contact
us
We appreciate the effort, time
and resources volunteered by our
members to provide support for
the students and administration
of Winnetonka High School.
Kara Cain
Booster Club/PTSA President
Keith Sovereign Big
“W” Scholarship
SEEKING
WINNETONKA
ALUMNI
If you have any questions,
pamela.wiltfong@nkcschools.org
Girls Basketball, Wrestling, and
Boys and Girls Soccer; a $35
value!) and/or PTSA for just $5.
at
Since 1971, 64 alumni have won the Keith Sovereign Big
“W” award, named in honor of our first principal. Awarded
to a graduating male and female, the Big “W” is given to the
two students who’ve shown excellence in academics, citizenship, community service, their participation in activities and
scholarships and awards they’ve received during their attendance at Winnetonka. Seniors are nominated by the faculty
through each department chair and then voted on by Winnetonka faculty. A scholarship has been established to honor
the female and male student who achieves this award.
If you are interested in making a contribution for this scholarship, you may do so by sending a check to the North Kansas
City Schools Education Foundation, 2000 NE 46 th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64116. Please make your check out to
NKCS Education Foundation and put Winnetonka Big “W”
award on the memo line. Any donation is tax-deductible and
appreciated.
You will receive a letter acknowledging your contribution
from Jan Lewis, director of the North Kansas City Schools
Education Foundation. If you desire more information, please
contact Jan at jan.lewis@nkcschools.org or (816) 413-5004.
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
PAGE 6
Welcome to the Counseling Center
WELCOME students and parents to
a new school year! The counselors
hope that everyone had a relaxing
summer vacation and that you are
settling into the routines of a new
school year! We are looking forward
to a great year!
The Counseling Center will continue
to provide the services we have in the
past: assisting students with enrollment, career goals, educational
plans, personal and emotional issues,
college applications, financial aid,
scholarships and other circumstances
that arise in a student’s daily life. We
are also pleased to announce we will
have two college advisors located in
the Counseling Center, Paul
Reeves and Pebble Smith. Paul and
Pebble will serve as advisors
through our ongoing relationship
with the Missouri College Advising
Corps. The mission of the MCAC
(http://mcac.missouri.edu) is to empower Missouri students to go to
college and succeed. We encourage
you to get in touch with us in regards to any concerns or questions
that might occur during the year.
Counselors are here to meet with
parents as well, we encourage you
to call the Counseling Center and
speak with Mrs. Wilson at (816)4135503 to arrange an appointment to
ensure we are available. Students
are able to stop by the Counseling
Center to make an appointment to
see their counselor before or after
school, between classes and if they
come during class with the permission of their teacher they need to
come with a pass in their agendas.
We encourage communication
through email from both parents
and students; this is sometimes a
faster turnaround. The Counseling
Center office hours are 7:15 a.m.3:15 p.m.
Who is My Counselor?
You will find the email addresses that will be helpful to get in contact with your students counselor or college advisor
there are other helpful staff members listed to help out too. Please call the Counseling Center at (816)413-5503 if you
have any questions or would like to set up an appointment
A–D
Jackie Spencer
jackie.spencer@nkcschools.org
E–K
Janelle Barge
janelle.barge@nkcschools.org
L–R
Kim Schank
kim.schank@nkcschools.org
S–Z
Deborah Lindhorst
deborah.lindhorst@nkcschools.org
Gifted
Carrie Marcantonio
carrie.marcantonio@nkcschools.org
College Advisors
A–K
Paul Reeves
paul.reeves@nkcschools.org
L-Z
Pebble Smith
pebble.smith@nkcschools.org
Office Staff
Mrs. Wilson
Administrative Assistant
summer.wilson@nkcschools.org
Mrs. Wano
Registrar
tabatha.wano@nkcschools.org
Mrs. Sayre
A+ Administrative Assistant
shelly.sayre@nkcschools.org
Mrs. Meinke
SCRS
shelly.meinke@nkcschools.org
Dr. Bischoff
School Psychologist
lisa.bischoff@nkcschools.org
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
PAGE 8
Missouri
College
Advising
Corps
Winnetonka is pleased to announce that we will continue to have two college advisers located in the Counseling
Center. The program through which Winnetonka has a college adviser is called the Missouri College Advising Corps
(MCAC), which is part of a national consortium of 19 college advising corps nationwide. MCAC placed its first college advisers in Kansas City in 2008 and now has 11 peer college advisers in the area, including Winnetonka. MCAC
has a record of increasing the rate of students who attend college.
Our new college advisors at Winnetonka this year are Paul Reeves and Pebble Smith. They will work with ALL
Winnetonka students and families to help them find their best options and plans for life after high school. They are
also available for advising sessions and will hold several informational night events focused around all aspects of
college planning, including application, financial aid and scholarships, testing, military options, and more.
The important thing to keep in mind is that it's NEVER too early to start thinking about – and planning for – a student's life after high school. No matter where you are in your process – whether you have no idea or have every
single detail mapped out – our college advisors are happy to sit down and help you through the process. Ninety percent of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States require a post-high school degree of some sort (though those
come in all shapes and sizes) and by 2020, 65% of jobs in Missouri will require a post-secondary credential of some
sort. Please don't be shy about taking advantage of your resources at Winnetonka to ensure you're competitive in
the job market of the future!
Winnetonka Counseling Center Website
has important links for students and parents. Please check it out by going to
Winnetonka’s home page, clicking on “Resources”, then on “Guidance & Counseling”. (wthscounseling.weebly.com)
The Counseling Center is trying very hard to get as much information out as possible to
help our students and parents prepare for the year. We are redesigning our website every
day and have put a ton of helpful information out there to aid with this process.

An active list of College and Military visits that students can come to the Counseling Center and
sign up for.

Announcements that can be helpful in college planning.

A “Contact Us” page has the ability to click and send an email to anyone in the Counseling Department.

A calendar of events page has a list of opportunities for students to take advantage of to further
their education.

A Transcripts page offers to down load the form that is needed by Mrs. Wano to release transcripts to perspective colleges.

A page for students to request a recommendation letter and the guidelines of how that
needs to happen. You will find there a resume form to help the students.
Please encourage
the kids to follow
us on Twitter,
@wthscounseling.
Parents you can
follow us too!
2014-15 SAT test dates
2014-15 ACT test dates
September 13, 2014 (Aug. 8)
For assistance with the ACT log on to:
www.actstudent.org
or
www.nkcschools.org/wths
February 7, 2015 (Jan. 9)
April 18, 2015 (March 13)
June 13, 2015 (May 8)
October 11, 2014 (Sept. 12)
November 8, 2014 (Oct. 9)
October 25, 2014 (Sept. 19)
December 13, 2014 (Nov. 7)
(registration deadlines in parentheses)
www.collegeboard.org
Click on ACT test prep. There you will
find practice questions and a multitude
of helpful information about college careers.
December 6, 2014 (Nov. 6)
January 24, 2015 (Dec. 29)
March 14, 2015 (Feb. 13)
May 2, 2015 (April 6)
June 6, 2014 (May 8)
The ABC’s
of Test Prep!
Please be sure to help your child prepare for the test using the following A, B, C’s of test preparation:
A - Achieve to your potential by carefully reading instructions and being thorough!
B - Breakfast is a critical component of good test preparation!
C - Calculators can be used for portions of the test - remind your student to bring one!
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
PAGE 9
WINNETONKA HIGH SCHOOL
CALENDAR OF 2014-2015 GRADUATION EVENTS
Friday, October 10th
Jostens Order Day during lunch periods
Friday, October 24th
Jostens Order Day 7:00 a.m.
TBD
Senior Big Picture, 8:00 a.m. , Main Gym, Date to be determined
Thursday, October 28th
Final date for senior pictures to be taken at Reed Portrait Studio (436-5550)
Thursday, February 26th
Jostens Announcement delivery during lunch periods
Wednesday, March 4th
Jostens Announcement delivery during lunch periods
Friday, April 10th
Jostens Cap and Gown delivery during lunch periods
Wednesday, April 15th
Jostens Cap and Gown delivery during lunch periods
Thursday, April 16th
Deadline for seniors to complete required 50 A+ tutoring hours and turn in log
sheets to A+ Coordinator.
Thursday, April 16th
Deadline for seniors to complete Gold Medallion community service hours and
internships and turn in all documentation.
Thursday, April 16th
Application due if you would like to be a speaker at Commencement.
Thursday, May 7th
Senior Honors Night, 7:00 p.m. in the WHS Auditorium.
All scholarships and awards due by Wednesday, April 29th.
Thursday, May 7th
Pick up Senior Checkout Forms, 7:30 – 8:00 a.m. OR 1:45 – 2:15 p.m.,
S. Auditorium. This is a mandatory meeting.
Friday, May 8th
All classroom work must be completed. Watch for timeline for senior Final Exam
Schedule.
Wednesday, May 13th
Senior Picnic during your lunch period (Courtyard).
Wednesday, May 13th
Turn in Checkout Form and take care of obligations BEFORE 11:00 a.m. to receive
your diploma at Commencement.
Wednesday, May 13th
Baccalaureate, 7:00 p.m. - Sponsored by the Northland Ministerial Alliance, WHS
Auditorium. Be in the cafeteria by 6:30 p.m. to participate.
Thursday, May 14th
Practice for Graduation Activities, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., WHS Auditorium –
This is REQUIRED for all students who plan to participate in graduation.
Thursday, May 14th
Commencement, 7:00 p.m. at Community of Christ Auditorium. Be in the Assembly
Room at the auditorium by 6:00 p.m. Pick up your diploma in the hallway outside the
Assembly Room after Commencement.
T O NK A T A L K S T O P A R E NT S
PAGE 10
NORTH KANSAS CITY SCHOOLS
STUDENT ABSENCES AND EXCUSES
(Grades 9 – 12)
As directed by the Board, the following procedures will be used to implement the district’s attendance policy.
Definitions:
Attendance – A student is considered to be in attendance if the student is physically present in a class; participating in a districtsponsored district-approved activity; participating in a class through alternative methods or media as allowed by Board policy; receiving homebound services; or receiving services at another location pursuant to law or by arrangement of the district.
Parent – A parent, guardian or person acting as a parent in the absence of the parent or guardian. If the student is emancipated, the
student will serve as the parent for purposes of this procedure.
Tardy – A student is tardy if the student arrives after the expected time class or school begins, as determined by the district. Tardiness will be counted as an absence in situations where the student arrives too late to have a meaningful participation in the class,
lesson or activity.
Truancy – A student is truant if the student is absent from class or school without the knowledge and consent of the parents and the
administration. A student is also considered truant if the student leaves school without the consent of the building administration or
accumulates excessive unjustifiable absences, even with parental consent. If an absence is not cleared up within five (5) days, the
student may be considered truant. Truancy is a type of unexcused absence.
Attendance Standards (Participation in School-Sponsored Activities IS NOT considered an absence)
An excused absence is defined as an absence from class resulting from illness or unforeseen circumstances which is verified by a
parent and includes proper documentation. With proper documentation, the following absences will NOT count toward the attendance consequences as defined below:
Hospitalization
Mandatory court date
Religious observance
Medically documented illness
Documented Dental/Orthodontist appointment or doctor's appointment
Verified school counseling/office appointment
A school-based medical professional excuses the absence
School-related activities in which the student is a participant
History of chronic health problems, provided that proper documentation is filed with the Attendance Office or in Health Room
Death in the family
2 College visits (to be taken as a junior/senior)
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A verified absence is defined as an absence from class resulting from illness or unforeseen circumstances which is verified by a parent. The following absences are examples of absences that will count toward the attendance consequences as defined below:
Oversleeping
Going "out of town"
No ride to school
Personal business
Activity camps
District/state contests or other school related activities in which student is not a participant.
Family vacations
Missing the bus
Needed at home
Car trouble
Other absences verified by parents
All other absences will be considered unexcused and will count toward the attendance consequences as defined below.
Communication to Parents and Students
Parent/guardian will receive a notice of attendance at the 6, 12, 15, and 18-week mark in the semester. The purpose of the notice is
to inform the parent about their student’s status as it relates to the expectation of 90% attendance. In addition, the notice will address
the possibility of percentage deductions per course if the 90% threshold is not achieved. The notice will also include a detailed
schedule of opportunities for students to make-up time through study sessions outside of the regular school day. The student or parent may request of a copy of the student’s attendance report by contacting the school’s attendance office.
Consequences for Violations
A high school student whose attendance falls below 90% in one semester will receive a percentage deduction by course as outlined
in the table below. If the student is failing a course, he/she will receive an “F”.
Attendance % By Course
% Grade Reduction
90%+
0%
85-<90%
5%
80-<85%
10%
75-<80%
15%
70-<75%
20%
65-<70%
25%
60-<65%
30%
55-<60%
35%
50-<55%
40%
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Review/Appeal Process
If the student or parent feels that justifiable or extraordinary circumstances have contributed to not attaining the 90% threshold, the
student and parent may appeal to the Attendance Review Committee. An appeal form must be completed and filed with the Attendance Office by the end of the semester the in which the absences occurred. This waiver should include documentation of illness,
funeral or family emergency from a medical doctor, dentist, minister or other official source. The review by the Attendance Review
Committee shall be held within a reasonable time following the end of the semester. If no appeal request form is received by the
end of the semester, then the decision to deduct percentage points from a student’s grade(s) for the class(es) will stand.
The Attendance Review Committee will consider the reasons for all the student's absences. The committee will consider all relevant
information including whether:
The appeal form was returned to the attendance office by the end of the semester in which the absences occurred.
The student has supplied reasons for each absence with appropriate documentation.
The possible outcomes from an appeal to the Attendance Review Committee:
1. The decision to deduct percentages for the class will stand.
2. Percentage points are reinstated.
3. Student is assigned make-up time for class time missed. Once the student makes up the time missed, percentage points will be
reinstated.
The outcome from the Attendance Review Committee will be communicated to the parents by phone and by written communication.
In accordance with due process, the building decision may be appealed through the Academic Services Department and the office of
the Deputy Director of Secondary Education.
The district will contact the Children’s Division (CD) of the Department of Social Services or the local prosecutor in cases where
the district has a reasonable suspicion that a student’s lack of attendance constitutes education neglect on the part of the parents or
that parents are in violation of the compulsory attendance law. No such action will be taken unless other strategies and interventions
have been implemented and proven ineffective.
Notice and Due Process
A summary of the Board-adopted attendance policy and related procedures will be published in student and other handbooks and
posted on the district’s website. In addition, students and their parents will be notified prior to the imposition of any consequence
and given the opportunity to appeal the imposition of the consequence to the Attendance Review Committee. Upon appeal, the student and his or her parents may present evidence that the student has missed fewer days than the district’s records show or that an
absence recorded as unexcused or verified should have been recorded as excused.
Intervention and Engagement Strategies
The district may utilize the following intervention and engagement strategies as part of the district’s overall approach to improve
student attendance and achievement.
Conduct community-wide public relations efforts that stress the importance of school attendance.
Collaborate with community groups and other organizations that engage youth in activities to create a consistent message
about the importance of education.
Contact the family any time a student is absent.
Will provide opportunities outside of the regular school day for students to recoup hours for the purpose of increasing attendance percentage. The high schools will offer a uniform amount of time for students to recoup hours. Any student
may reduce accrued absences by attending make-up study sessions scheduled by the school during non-instructional
times. The student must notify the principal that he or she wishes to make up attendance days, and the principal will
provide the student information on the next available session. Make-up sessions do not match the educational value of
actual class attendance; therefore no student will be allowed to make up more than 35 class hours (per semester) by
attending make-up sessions.