Procedures for Student Absences and Truancy

Students need to bring any absence note/doctor excuse to a coach in the courtyard. There is one available beginning each morning at 7:15am.  The student will get a "pink slip" to attach to the note.  The student is then responsible or taking the pink slip AND the excuse to his/her homeroom teacher. 

Scarlett Rowe: PJHS Attendance/Truancy Supervisor: scarlett.rowe@acboe.net

ABSENCES

A parent or guardian shall explain in writing the cause of any and every absence of a student or submit a doctor’s excuse no later than three days following return to school. Excuses will not be accepted after three days. The parent note/doctor’s excuse will enable the child to make-up any work missed. Five unexcused absences within a school year constitute a student being truant and on the seventh unexcused absence a complaint/petition may be filed against the child and/or parent.

A written note from parents or guardians, as described above, will excuse absences for up to but not exceeding TEN absences during the school year. Further absences will require a written excuse from a medical doctor or court official.

Any time that a student is absent, the parent or guardian must send a written note to school satisfactorily explaining the absence. A satisfactory note meets the following State guidelines:

• Illness
• Death in the immediate family
• Inclement weather (as determined by principal)
• Legal quarantine
• Emergency conditions as determined by the principal
• Prior permission of the principal and written consent by the parent or guardian

 Any other reason will not be excused!

•1.      Students will receive a recorded phone message the morning of each absence.

•2.      Once a student is absent, he/she has three school days to turn in a written excuse from a parent or doctor.

•3.      It is the responsibility of the student to take the excuse to a PE coach in the courtyard before school.  The coaches will be in the courtyard at approximately 7:30 AM.

•4.      The coaches will complete a pink slip for the student.

•5.      The student then must turn the pink slip and excuse in to his/her homeroom teacher.  Excuses without pink slips will not be accepted by the homeroom teacher.

•6.      Parent excuses must include the reason and dates the student was absent from school.  Excuses with incomplete information will be recorded as unexcused.

•7.      For absences other than illness (i.e. planned trips, church events, etc.), a written request must be pre-approved by Mr. Bonner or the absence will be recorded as unexcused.

•8.      If the student does not turn in an excuse and pink slip to the homeroom teacher by the third day he/she returns to school, the absence will be recorded as unexcused.

•9.      Once the fifth unexcused absence is recorded for the student, a letter will be sent home and parents must attend a meeting with the appropriate assistant principal.

•10.  Once the seventh unexcused absence is recorded, the student's name will be turned in to the Autauga County Board of Education Truancy Officer.

•11.  Once the eleventh unexcused absence is recorded, the ACBOE Truancy Officer will refer the student to the ACBOE Director of Pupil Services to petition the court.  By direction of the Autauga County Juvenile Court, criminal charges may be sought against the parent or guardian if the student is between 7 and 12 years of age.  The truancy petition for children 13 to 17 years of age will continue to be sent directly to the Autauga County Juvenile Court Office for processing.