Attendance

Important Attendance Procedures for Parents

1. Parents are asked to email the school’s Attendance Office before 9:30am on the day a student will be absent from class for all or part of the school day due to an illness or an appointment. attendance@bk.org  
2. Please make sure you include the student’s full name and grade in the email. If the absence is due to a medical appointment, when returning to school have the student bring in a note from the provider’s office to excuse the absence. 
3. For Pre-arranged Absences, the student needs to contact the Assistant Principal prior to the absence and complete the Pre-arranged Absence Form.  This allows students to notify teachers and to receive homework assignments before the absence.
4. Bishop Kelly is a closed campus. If students need to leave school for any reason, parents must notify the Attendance Office via email before school (attendance@bk.org).  Students must sign-out when they leave, and sign back in when they return.  They will be asked for verification of any professional appointments upon returning to school. (i.e. a doctor’s note)
5. All students are required to sign in and out at the Attendance Office when coming late or leaving early.

PLEASE NOTE: 

Students will not be released from class during the last 15 minutes of the last period of each day.

Students may leave before these times for verified appointments (doctor/dentist) as long as the parent has emailed attendance@bk.org and requested a Permit-to-Leave Pass (PTL). Leaving early will be counted as an absence towards their six allotted absences per semester. Parents should email: attendance@bk.org either the previous day or by 9:30am on the requested day. Please do your best to schedule appointments before or after school hours. Students arriving late to class or leaving early disrupt the classroom.

Students must pick up their PTL (Permit-to-Leave) at the Attendance Office window before school, during passing periods, or at lunch. Students must have the PTL Pass to show the teacher when they are supposed to leave class.

Absence Policy

Regular school attendance is critical to the learning process. Bishop Kelly policy states that students shall be in attendance at least 90% of the time that subject is taught in order to gain credit for that class. Students who are absent more than 10% of the time (more than six absences per class in a semester)  will be required to submit a letter of appeal to the Attendance Appeal Committee prior to the final exam week. The Attendance Appeal Committee will determine which of the following three actions will be taken (total absences and tardies will be taken into consideration.)

• Absences exceeding 10% but less than 15% (7-9 absences) – Community Service and/or Credit Recovery Hours.
• Absences exceeding 15% but less than 25% (10-14 absences)  -Bishop Kelly will deduct 10% from the final grade.  The reduced grade will be reflected on the student transcript. Students will have the option to retake the course at Bishop Kelly or at an approved alternative education provider.
• Absences exceeding 25% (greater than 14 absences) – Automatic credit denial with option to retake the course at Bishop Kelly or at an approved alternative education provider.
• The administration has the discretion to examine extensive absences regardless if they count toward the 90% rule or not to determine if a student can stay enrolled at Bishop Kelly.

If it is determined that a student will receive a consequence due to poor attendance as outlined herein, the parent(s) and the student will be sent a written or electronic notification.

If the student or parent wishes to challenge an outcome of the consequences outlined above, they shall submit a letter of appeal to the Chair of the Attendance Committee. The Attendance Committee shall fully consider the matter, including any new information that may be relevant to the student’s situation, and shall determine whether the consequence should be upheld or not under this policy. The Committee’s recommendation shall then be forwarded to the Principal who shall review the recommendation and make a final determination on what consequence, if any, should apply.

Unexcused Absences/Truancies
Any absence from one or more class periods without an oral or written excuse from the student’s parent/guardian within 48 hours may be considered an unexcused absence/truancy. Such unexcused absences include departure from school or class during the school day without the permission of Bishop Kelly High School officials. Unexcused absences are counted toward the 90% Rule. 

Discipline for a student who consistently has unexcused absences/truancies may involve actions up to and including suspension and/or dismissal.

First Truancy: Parents will be notified; the student will make up truant time through detentions.
Second Truancy: Parents will be notified; the students will  be placed on a probationary contract that may include suspension.
Third Truancy: Parents will be notified; the student will be forced to withdraw from Bishop Kelly.

A student with unexcused absences/truancies may also lose credit. Unexcused absences/truancies may also affect a student’s appeal rights for loss of credit regarding extraordinary circumstances under the 90% attendance policy.

Papers, assignments, tests, etc., missed during the unexcused absence/truancy will not be allowed to be made up for credit.

Permit to Leave School (PTL)

In order to leave campus during the school day, a student must obtain a Permit to Leave (“PTL”). This is accomplished by doing the following:

• A parent email sent in advance to the Attendance Office (attendance@bk.org) specifying time and reason for leaving.
• The student must pick up the PTL either before school, lunch, or between classes in order to avoid a classroom interruption.
• The student shows the PTL to the teacher and is excused to leave at that time. Students must sign-out before they leave campus.

If returning to school, the student needs to check back in at the Attendance Office upon arrival to submit their documentation and receive a pass to go back to class.

Students will not be released from class during the last 15 minutes of the last period of each day.

Locker Disclaimer!

You are renting your locker from Bishop Kelly High School for the current school year.
You are responsible for everything in or on your locker and you will be held accountable.  Keep it LOCKED at all times.
At the end of each semester it is to be emptied, cleaned , and wiped down.  DO NOT leave food in the lockers over school breaks!
Cleaning products will be provided during locker clean out times throughout the year.
No garbage, food, posters, personal belongings, stickers, or graffiti should be left in or on your locker.
If someone else writes on your locker, report it to the Attendance Office immediately or you will be held accountable.
If there is an issue with your locker, please let the Attendance Office know ASAP so it can be taken care of appropriately.
At the end of the school year, students will be charged:
$25 for not cleaning out their locker completely (items in or on locker / dirty locker)
$15 for a missing lock

Types of Absences

Types of absences that ARE counted toward the 90% rule:

• Verified Absence (VA) is an absence from school with the knowledge and approval of the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s). Written, oral, or electronic communication from parents is expected by 9:30 a.m. on the day of the absence.
• Prearranged Absences (PA) occur when a student knows in advance that they will be absent for 2 or more days and fills out the proper form through the attendance office.
• Unexcused Absence (AB) is an absence from school that has not been excused via written, oral, or electronic communication from a parent or guardian. Absences left unexcused over 48 hours may be considered truant.
• Truant (TR) is an absence without the consent of the student’s  parent(s)/guardian(s) or school officials. This includes an absence from school and class after arrival at school and departure from school during the school day without permission of school officials. Class work, homework, and exams missed while truant may not be made up for credit.
• Suspended Absence (SA) includes absences due to in-school or out of school suspension or absence from class due to a dress code violation; or removal from a class due to behavior.

Types of absences that ARE NOT counted toward the 90% rule:

• In-school Absence (IA) includes absences that occur within the school day that pull a student from class to another area within the school. Examples include extended visits to the office, nurse, or when a student is at a school approved meeting (i.e. student body, college meetings, etc.)
• Activity Absence (AA) is an absence for school sponsored programs in which classes will be missed.
• Doctor Excused (DR) is an absence due to medical reasons that is confirmed with documentation by professional personnel. Documentation shall be provided within 7 school days of when the student returns to school. (Examples include medical doctors, dentists, psychologists, etc.). Bishop Kelly has the discretion to seek clarity or specificity for any documentation provided. NOTE: A student who has been previously approved for medically homebound learning shall not be subject to the consequences above during the approved medical homebound period.
• Bereavement (BR) is an absence taken due to a death in the family.
• School Excused (SC) absences include absences for college visitations, or extenuating circumstances approved by the administration. College visits beyond three (3) need to be approved by the administration prior to the absence. College visits are for Seniors, Juniors, and second-semester Sophomores (only 1 visit allowed for Sophomores) per year. The school-excused absence is only for the day of the college visit. 
• Court Appearance (CA) absences used for students having legal obligations.

Tardy Policy

A student is tardy if he or she is not in the assigned classroom when the bell rings. A tardy is anything 15 minutes and under. Any work/quiz missed due to a tardy is up to the teacher’s discretion whether it may be made up. 

If you are more than 15 minutes late, it is considered an absence.

There are three types of tardies at Bishop Kelly:

1. Tardy (TD): No verifiable written, electronic or verbal notification.

2. Verified Tardy (VT): Tardy occurs with the knowledge and approval of the student’s parent/guardian. Parents are encouraged to call in to the school when they are aware of a situation that will make students late to class. Written, oral, or electronic communication from the parent/guardian is expected within two (2) school days of tardy.

3. Tardy Waived (TW): Tardy is waived due to confirmed (documented) medical reasons, in-school (with counselor, college recruiter, etc.) or school-sponsored activity.

Tardies which are caused by the late bus, either Bishop Kelly High School or city bus, shall not be counted on the student’s record. The principal or designee may also waive student tardies due to inclement weather or other extenuating circumstances.

Punctuality demonstrates respect and courtesy to your teacher and classmates. A student is tardy if he or she is not in their classroom when the second bell rings.

Tardies are cumulative per semester. Parents are encouraged to frequently check the attendance of their student(s) through Infinite Campus. Parents and Students will be notified on the following tardies:

• 5-7 Tardies: Parent/Student will be notified and the student will serve a 2 hour detention per tardy.
• 8-9 Tardies: Parent/Student will be notified and the student will serve a 3 hour detention per tardy, that could consist of a Saturday School Detention.
• 10th Tardy: Parent/Student will meet with the Vice-Principal of Student Affairs and/or designee; the student will be put on a behavior contract.

Additionally, the Assistant Principal of Student Affairs may request a conference with the student and/or parent/guardian at any time to discuss student attendance concerns.

A student who is fifteen (15) or more minutes late to class will be considered absent.

Bishop Kelly Attendance Policies can also be found in the Bishop Kelly Student Handbook.  The Handbook can be found on this website under “Life at BK”.  Students also have a copy of the Student Handbook within their School Agenda.

Attendance FAQ’s