Attendance Procedures

School Start Times:

  • Students may begin to arrive on campus no earlier than 8:15am.

  • All students enter the classroom at 8:40am. 

  • Classroom instruction begins by 8:45am. 

Tardiness

  • Students are tardy if they are not in class at the beginning of the school day. Our school day begins at 8:45 am.

  • Any parents walking or driving their student to school MUST escort them to the main office if they arive after 8:45am. All other entry gates will be locked by 8:45am. 

  • Tardies TO SCHOOL are all recorded electronically. The parent may provide a reason for the tardiness, and this will be considered if truancy actions are initiated.

  • In the event a student has met the truancy threshold, five tardies to school or five early departures equal one unexcused absence.

Early Departures

Students who have attended more than half a school day and are released from school prior to the closing of the school day shall be considered an early departure. Early departures are either excused or unexcused. Students may or may not be excused for the following reasons: (See examples below)

Excused

  • Medical appointments
  • Counseling
  • Legal appointments
  • Funeral of family member or closely related friend (school may request proof)
  • Family emergency (school may determine if valid)

Unexcused

  • For convenience of parent
  • Personal reasons
  • Shopping trips
  • Vacations

Early Release

Early departure of any student during the last hour of the school day is Strongly Discouraged.

Truancy and Habitual Truancy

  • Truant means one who is subject to compulsory school attendance, but who is absent from school with or without a justifiable consent from a parent or legal guardian.
  • Truancy means the student has had at least five unexcused absences within a calendar month or 10 unexcused absences, within a 90-calendar-day period, or a combination of unexcused absences and tardies equivalent to the above numbers.
  • Habitual Truancy means the student has 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days with or without the knowledge or justifiable consent of the child's parent or legal guardian, is subject to compulsory school attendance and, is not exempt under any other exemptions specified by law or the rules of the State Board of Education.

Religious Absences
FS 1003.21 (2) (b)
There are a number of religious holidays which qualify as excused absences. In order to qualify as an excused absence, the religious tenets must forbid secular activities on that day, and the parents must have declared that their student is observing the holidays of that specific religion. Religious absences are treated like pre-arranged absences, and must be requested in writing at least five days prior.

Religious holidays which fit the criteria defined by the FDOE:

Jewish

Muslim

Christian

Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
Simchat Torah
Passover
Shavout

Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Adha

Good Friday
Holy Epiphany