Attendance Policy
EPS Board Policy 5113 Expectations for Attendance and Punctuality
Connecticut law requires that children attend school regularly during the hours and terms that the public school is in session, unless specifically exempted from attendance by law. The Superintendent of Schools shall establish such procedures as deemed necessary to determine the cause of habitual truancy, including medical verification for excessive absences, and shall cooperate with other private and governmental agencies in correcting the causes thereof.
Experience indicates that regular school attendance is important for school success. These regulations reflect our belief that classroom learning activities are an essential part of the curriculum for all students and are intended to reduce tardiness and absence from class. It is important to note that while the first nine absences in a school year can be deemed excused for any reason the parent or guardian provides, the tenth and each subsequent absence establish a more stringent and specific set of reasons for the absence to qualify as excused.
In cases of an excused absences other than family-initiated travel, appropriate provisions will be made by school staff regarding assistance with missed assignments, homework, and tests. When an excused absence is the result of family-initiated travel, teachers are under no obligation to provide advance assignments or to review work missed during the period of absence. However, students must be allowed to take make-up tests. The student’ s Principal / Assistant Principal must be notified in writing of extended absences due to family-initiated travel.
A student’ s absence from school shall be considered excused if written documentation of the reason for the absence has been submitted within ten school days of the student’ s return to school and must meet the following criteria:
A. For absences one through nine, a student’ s absences from school are considered excused when the student’ s parent / guardian approves such absence and submits appropriate documentation; and
B. For the tenth absence and all absences thereafter, a student’ s absences from school are considered excused for the following reasons:
1. Student illness( Note: All student illness absences must be verified by an appropriately licensed medical professional to be deemed excused, regardless of the length of absence); 2. Student’ s observance of a religious holiday; 3. Death in the student’ s family or other emergency beyond the control of the student’ s family; 4. Mandated court appearances( additional documentation required);
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