Attendance Policy

Students are expected to report to school by 8:45 A.M to pass through the security. Students who fail to
report to school by 8:50 A.M. will be marked late to school. Repeated offenses will lead to disciplinary action.
All students are expected to come to school dressed appropriately per the school’s dress code and be
prepared with appropriate learning materials daily.

Lateness to School:

All students who arrive late to school must “scan in” and obtain a late slip. Students are expected to be in school and on time every day. For every three lateness in a term after 10 a.m., and without a note, notification will be made to the parent or guardian and a mandatory parent conference will be held.

Absence Notes:

Regular attendance is important to all aspects of school life, especially student achievement. Students who are absent from school must bring a verifiable excuse note on the day of their return to school, which is signed by their parents, stating the reason for and the date(s) of the absence. The note is to be given to the school’s secretary in the Main Office. Philadelphia Learning Academy North will not honor excuse notes after xxxxxx of the absence. Failure to produce a proper note will result in the coding of “unexcused absence” on Infinite Campus. A coding of “unexcused absence” does not allow for a student to make up any missed schoolwork. Upon returning to school, students are responsible for making arrangements with their teachers to make up for the work that they missed as a result of their excused absence(s). Teachers also share in this responsibility for determining a reasonable and specific period for the completion of the missed work.

Religious Observation:

Students who are absent from or late to school because of participation in a religious obligation must present
a note from their parent or guardian stating the place and time of the obligation.

Request for Absence from School:

The school recognizes that there are times when it becomes necessary for a parent or guardian to request that their child(ren) be absent from school for a short period for reasons other than illness. When this becomes necessary, the following procedure is to be followed:
At least one week before the requested dates of absence, the parent/guardian is to write a note explaining the
reason for the absence and the anticipated dates of the absence. The note must be signed by the
parent/guardian and contain a phone number where the parent/guardian can be reached for verification of
the note.
The student is to bring the note to an administrator for approval.
The student is to present the memo to their teachers for their signature and to make arrangements for any
work that will be missed during the period of absence.
When completely signed, the memo is to be returned to the administrator who will keep it on file.
Vacations are NOT excused absences.
Failure to follow this procedure may result in the absence(s) being marked as unexcused and the student
being denied the opportunity to make up missed work. All other emergencies will be addressed equitably.

Early Dismissals:

No student will be permitted to leave the building early unless a parent/guardian comes to the main office to sign out the student. This rule applies to all students regardless of age. Parents/Guardians MUST have a government-issued ID and be listed as the legal guardian or emergency contact listed in our Student Information System (SIS). Medical and dental appointments should be scheduled after school hours. However, for those that must be made during school hours, a parent/guardian must come to the main entrance and sign out the student in the main lobby. No student is allowed to leave the building on their own. For medical emergencies, students must see the nurse. All students, regardless of age, who are being
dismissed early due to illness, must have a parent or guardian pick them up.

Leaving the Building:

Only students who are being dismissed with a parent/guardian or students with special rosters are permitted
to leave the building before the end of the school day. These students are to exit the building immediately
either with their parents or after their last period. These students must exit the building using the front doors
that are located closest to the Post Office. Failure to do so will result in revoking a student’s special roster
and/or progressive disciplinary action. Students who leave school without permission will be subject to
progressive disciplinary actions, up to exclusion from school activities.

Class Attendance/Cutting:

Students are considered to have a cut if they are marked present in school but do not attend class. Students
who cut class will receive a zero for that class and will not be permitted to make up missed work. Students
showing appropriate documentation for absences are required to meet with their teachers to determine an
appropriate date for the completion of make-up work. Additionally, students who cut class will face
progressive disciplinary consequences, which include but are not limited to Mandatory Parent Conferences
and/or loss of privileges. Missing class due to a late arrival is considered a “late cut.”