Attendance policy

The Novi Community School District is committed to maintaining and building positive relationships with all families and community members. The district is also obligated to meet increased accountability expectations from the state with regard to student attendance records. As with all accountability measures, we see our parents/guardians as partners in supporting student learning. Regular and punctual attendance in school is important to the educational growth of students. We understand there are times when legitimate circumstances may exist whereby a student is unable to attend school, such as:

  • Personal illness or illness in the family

  • Death in the family

  • Court appointments

  • Religious holidays

  • Prearranged family vacations*

  • Medical appointments that cannot be made during out-of-school hours

  • Other prearranged absences (including college visitation), provided pre-approval is granted

  • Religious instruction and/or obligations, arranged in advance and verified by written parental excuse

  • School-sponsored activities

Every school day is important in the educational development of the student. Punctual and regular attendance is essential for a student to do well in school. If an absence, late arrival or early dismissal is necessary, parents/guardians should observe the following guidelines:

  • Please call the Attendance Office at 248-449-1501. Be sure to spell your student’s name when leaving a message.

  • With early departure, please call in advance with enough time for the Attendance Office to get students out to you in a timely manner. 

  • Students should pick up their pass from the Attendance Office during passing time of the class they are being dismissed from.

  • The student will come to the Attendance Office, sign out, receive their pass, and leave the building.

  • Students will then meet you outside near the entrance off of Taft Road for pick up. PARENTS/GUARDIANS DO NOT NEED TO ENTER THE BUILDING. Please park in the lot and watch for your student to exit the building. 

  • Students may only enter through the main Taft or 10-Mile entrance when arriving late. They should check in with office staff, hand in any documentation (if applicable), sign in and make a pass to go to class. Parents/guardians need to call in or provide documentation for a late arrival to be considered a documented or verified absence. If there is no correspondence, the late arrival will be documented as unexcused. 

*Parents/Guardians are encouraged not to take their child out of school for vacations. With proper notification, absences due to vacations will be considered verified, however, it should be noted that these will count toward their ten allowed absences. Proper notification, in the form of a Vacation Request Form, must be submitted in advance to your student's assigned administrator. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to schedule vacations during scheduled vacations provided throughout the school year.

Definitions/Terms

  1. Documented Absences: A documented absence will not count against the total number of student absences. To ensure accurate attendance records, it is necessary for all related documentation to be turned in upon the student's return to school. Documented absences will not be accepted after two (2) school days following the absence. The following are considered documented absences: Hospitalization/medical leave or a doctor's appointment related to an illness, religious obligations, mandatory court appearance, funeral

  1. Verified Absences: Parent or legal guardian has called the Attendance Office or provided a note within 24 hours verifying the student was not at school with parental acknowledgement. A verified absence is typically one of the following but not limited to: illness verified by parent, doctor’s appointment, pre-arranged vacation - forms can be obtained in the Attendance Office and must be filled out and signed by a parent/guardian, teachers and the student's assigned administrator prior to the absence. NOTE: It should be noted that parents cannot verify a class period absence that occurs during the school day.  (Example: verify a class period absence so that their student can finish an assignment, go out to lunch, etc.)                                                     

  2. Unverified Absences: Any absence in which a parent has NOT called or provided a note within 24 hours of the absence, an automated phone call is made to the parent/guardian after every unverified absence.  

Student/Parent/Guardian  Responsibilities

  1. Be aware of the attendance policy guidelines and understand the implications therein. Click Here to access board policies.

  2. Monitor student's attendance record through the use of PowerSchool and/or communication with the school.

  3. Acquiring and completing  make-up work is the sole responsibility of the student.

  4. Students will be able to make up work that is missed for a verified absence within the same number of days that they have been verified from school.

Communication
As a means of communicating attendance, the following methods will be utilized:

  1. Parents/Guardians will receive a robo call when there is an unverified absence.

  2. Students and parents may access PowerSchool/Parent Portal daily, period by period.

  3. A letter will be generated by PowerSchool and sent home by the Attendance Office staff upon the 5th day of accumulated absences (this letter is generated weekly).

Tardy Procedures

  • Students are marked tardy if they enter class after the bell rings.

  • Students are marked absent if they miss more than 20 minutes of class.

  • Students meeting with NHS staff will not be marked tardy or absent. Their attendance should reflect School Business (SB).

Consequences

  • 1st tardy = teacher conversation/connection with the student

  • 2nd tardy = teacher conversation/connection with the student

  • 3rd tardy = teacher will contact parent/guardian

  • 4th tardy = teacher call home

  • 5th tardy = Administrative Referral Form completed by the teacher; administration follow-up and consequences (lunch detention, etc.)

  • 6th tardy or more = Additional consequences may occur (parent meeting, lunch detentions, attendance contract, etc.)