Attendance

The District 129 staff wants your child to recognize their own strengths and limitations, set and attain their goals, be successful problem solvers, and do so in an environment that promotes a sense of belonging. 

District 129 commits to the following

• Provide quality instruction that is based on principles of effective teaching
• Provide resources in the most effective way to advance your child’s achievement
• Provide learning experiences that stimulate and challenge your child
• Implement equitable disciplinary practices
• Be available for collaborative communication and receptive to your feedback and ideas about your child
• Communicate honestly to you in regards to your child
• Continually reflect on our practices to ensure we are always providing and doing all we can to meet the needs of your child 

Parent Commitment

• Send child(ren) to school every day, unless they are ill (please call the attendance line to report the absence)
• Assure children arrive at school on time, but even if they are late, bring them anyway
• Work with your child(ren) to assure they arrive at school ready to learn. Let the school know if your child needs additional support/resources to make learning happen.
• Encourage and support your child’s learning at home
• Connect with teachers if there are concerns about your child’s learning.
• Be open and responsive to communication from your child’s teachers and other school staff
• Encourage your child to do assigned homework to the best of their ability and ask for help from the school if needed

Student Commitment

• Arrive at school on time
• Arrive to class on time
• Be ready to learn
• Bring a positive attitude everyday 
• Complete assigned work to one’s best ability
• Ask for help when needed (we all need help, so don’t be embarrassed to ask
• Establish a good study routine at home to be prepared and rested for the next day
• Establish and work with a support system at home and school to achieve success

Because school attendance is the responsibility of students and their parents/guardians. A parent/guardian who has custody of a student between the ages of 6 and 17 years of age is required to see that the student attends the assigned public school in the District for the school session unless the student:

• Attends an approved private or parochial school.
• Is found by a doctor or psychiatrist to be physically or mentally unable to attend a regular school program.
• Is employed (the job must be covered under the Child Labor Law and meet the consent of the Superintendent of the Regional Office of Education).
• Any child over 12 and under 14 years of age while in confirmation classes.
• Any child who misses school because their religion restricts regular activities on a certain day.
• Any child 16 years of age or older who is employed and is enrolled in a graduation incentives program.
   

A parent or guardian must authorize all student absences and notify the school either in advance or at the time of the absence. A student’s absence will be considered excused if it falls under one of the following categories:

• Personal illness
• Mental or behavioral health related absence 
• Pregnancy/postpartum 
• Serious family emergency
• Death in the family
• Attendance at religious classes and/or holidays that were approved beforehand
• Attendance at a civic event, by a middle or high school student, that was approved beforehand
• Medical, Dental, and/or Vision appointments documented by qualified medical personnel
• Circumstances causing reasonable concern to the parent/guardian for emotional, mental, or physical safety or health of the student
• District transportation failures
• Prearranged absences approved by building administration – For example: Students of voting age may be excused for up to two hours to exercise their right to vote in local, state, and/or federal elections. 
• Students in grades 6-12 who sound “Taps” at a military honors funeral for a deceased veteran
• When a student’s parent/guardian, who is an active duty member or member of the uniformed services, has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat-support postings.

Students absent for a valid cause (excused absence) may make up missed homework and classwork assignments in a reasonable timeframe.

Absences that total ten percent (10%) or more of school days of the most recent academic school year, including absences with and without valid cause, including out-of-school suspensions, for an enrolled student, are defined as chronic absenteeism and require school districts to collect and review the data and determine needed resources to engage chronically absent students and their families.

Absences that do not fall under the excused categories will be considered unexcused and may result in interventions or consequences as outlined in district policy. Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to:

• Skipping class or another unauthorized absence from a classroom or other assigned area
• Any full-day absence not reported by a parent or guardian
• Personal or avoidable absences and appointments
• Oversleeping or missing the bus
• Babysitting or taking care of siblings
• Family vacations
• Non-school-sponsored activities or trips
• Failure to provide proper documentation for an absence that requires approval
• Any false call made by someone other than a parent or guardian or other authorized adult

The Superintendent or designee shall direct the appropriate District personnel to develop procedures to be used with a student who is truant. If a student’s absence is unexcused, it will be recorded as truant. A habitual truant is defined as a student who is absent from school, without a valid cause, for  five percent (5%) or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days. A note from a qualified medical professional may be required for each health-related absence if requested by school administration. 

The following support services may be offered to a student who is truant:

• Parent-teacher conferences
• Administrative home visit
• Counseling services
• Truant’s alternative and optional education program
• Alternative school placement
• Community agency services
• Remediation program (such remediation program for a student 17 years or older includes assessment and support services)

If these supportive services prove ineffective and the behavior persists, building administration will solicit the resources of the Kane County Regional Office of Education and take reasonable diagnostic measures to identify the cause of absence (such as interviews with relevant persons and administrative home visits).

If a student is absent from more than 15 consecutive school days and after multiple documented attempts have been made to contact the parent/guardian, with no response, the district will notify the parent/guardian by letter, at the last known address, that their student will be withdrawn from school for non-attendance. Parents/guardians wishing to re-enroll their student should contact the registration office, registration@sd129.org.

Students, age 17 years or older, who are absent without valid cause for 20% or more of the attendance days for two consecutive semesters may be denied enrollment the following semester.