Attendance

*Pre arranged absence form can be downloaded at the bottom of this page*

WHEAT RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular school attendance is vital to successful academic growth. The interaction of students with each other in the classroom and participation in class are irreplaceable components of the learning process. Student absences, whether excused or not, disrupt the continuity of the learning process. 

In accordance with state law, all students are expected to attend school for all days of the established school calendar as approved annually by the Board of Education.

All students are expected to maintain “satisfactory attendance.”  Only students with satisfactory attendance may: (1) have off-campus lunch privileges; (2) attend on-campus dances; (3) attend senior activities (including, but not limited to: Prom, etc., and may include other activities at the discretion of the administration); obtain a parking permit and (4) have school privileges and attend events/activities (specifics will be at the discretion of the administration).

Wheat Ridge High School defines an unexcused absence as missing 50% or more of a class period.  Additionally, any student with a full day unexcused absence may be assigned in-school suspension, detention or other consequences at the discretion of the administration. The major responsibility for attendance lies with the student and his or her parent/guardian.

TO EXCUSE YOUR STUDENT

  • Absences will only be excused for illness, injury, explained family emergency or pre-arranged activities.
  • A parent or legal guardian must call the attendance office voice mail 303-982-7685 by NOON the day following the absence.
  • Students leaving the building during the day due to illness or injury MUST check out through the clinic/attendance office to be excused. Students arriving to school during the school day must check in at the attendance office.
  • Students that are marked absent in error may obtain an edit/green slip from the attendance office. The teacher must complete the form, sign and return it to the attendance office in order for the record to be changed.

SINGLE PERIOD ABSENCES:

  • Single period absences are excused only when verified by official documentation, i.e. note from the doctor, orthodontist, etc. The verification must be in the attendance office by noon the day following the absence.

FIRST PERIOD ABSENCES:

  • Students who miss their first period only, due to illness, may be excused by bringing a note to the clinic/attendance as soon as they arrive. The note must be signed by a parent and must supply a phone number where the parent can be reached for verification.

FAMILY VACATIONS, COLLEGE VISITS, ETC. WILL ONLY BE EXCUSED IF THE STUDENT HAS SUBMITTED A PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCE FORM TO THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ABSENCE. Forms are available in the attendance office.

PROGRESSIVE TARDY INTERVENTIONS 
*All students are required to be in class when the tardy bell rings.

1st - 3rd unexcused/unverified tardy in each class (per Semester):
The classroom teacher may administer ANY OR ALL of the following:

  1. Verbal/warning/student conference
  2. Classroom consequence from teacher
  3. Loss of classroom privilege/reward
  4. Tardy reflection assignment
  5. Phone call home/parent conference
  6. Reduction of Participation Grade (cannot earn an “F”)
  7. Teacher detention
  8. Notify athletic coach, club advisor, etc., if student is involved in extra-curricular activities

*Students who arrive tardy are expected to do so without disruption of the classroom instruction or activity taking place. Students who are disruptive when arriving tardy can expect to receive consequences for both their tardiness and for the disruption of the classroom (based on classroom and school discipline plan).

4th and each subsequent unexcused/unverified tardy to any one class per semester:
Student is Eligible for a Referral to Dean of Students (at the discretion of the teacher OR by office/admin review of student records):
Any or all consequences below may follow:

  1. Any or all of “a” through “h” above
  2. Administrative Detention
  3. Parent conference with counselor or admin
  4. Loss of one or more school privileges, with plan in place to possibly earn them back (see above)
  5. Other (at the discretion of administration)

VIRTUAL TARDY SWEEPS:

Virtual tardy sweeps occur randomly during the school day and are unannounced. Administration may conduct a virtual tardy sweep at any time.

What is a Virtual Tardy Sweep? During a randomly selected period and/or class, administration will run a report from our student attendance database. Any student marked with an unexcused/unverified tardy will be automatically assigned a consequence from an Administrator.

Students will be notified (by designated staff members) if they have been “caught“ in a virtual tardy sweep and be notified of what consequence they have received.  Virtual Tardy Sweeps are designed to motivate students to get to EVERY class, EVERY day, ON TIME!

MAKING UP ASSIGNMENTS/TESTS

When a student has been absent three or more consecutive days - homework can be requested by calling the main office 303-982-7695. The assignments can then be picked up in the main office on the following day during regular hours 7:00-3:00.

Make-up Work for Absences For each day of absence, students will have two days to make up work.

For excused absences it is essential that students absent from school make up work missed. It is the responsibility of the student and parent or guardian to initiate requests for and pick up makeup work on the day he or she returns to class from an excused absence. Makeup work should reflect class assignments missed during the absence, and a reasonable amount of time should be allowed for work completion. Time allowed to make up work is twice the number of classes or days missed (two days allowed for make-up work for each day of absence); however, an extension of this time limit may be approved by the school administration. Students who complete makeup work within the required timeline will receive full academic credit earned for the makeup work.

Classroom instruction and interaction with teachers are essential to a student's education. Because of the importance of classroom instruction and learning, students with unexcused absences will be expected to complete classroom assignments to demonstrate their learning on content standards and to meet the academic expectations of the teacher. As with excused absences, time allowed to make up work is twice the number of classes or days missed (two days allowed for makeup work for each day of absence); however, an extension of this time limit may be approved by the school administration. Students who complete the required makeup work within the required timelines will receive academic credit earned for the makeup work as described below:

  • for the first two unexcused absences from a class, makeup work will be allowed for credit with one grade reduction for all work completed.
  • after the first two unexcused absences from a class, makeup work will be allowed for credit with two letter grade reductions for all work completed.
  • when an assignment has been given with a specific due date and the student does not turn that assignment in because of an unexcused absence on the due date, the teacher will enforce the original stated expectations regarding grading of the assignment if it is turned in late.
  • when a student has missed classroom discussions or classroom work that cannot be duplicated through a simple assignment, the teacher may elect to request that the student create a method for demonstration of the learning or the teacher may elect to assign specific work to demonstrate the learning. If the student fails to complete the work, no credit will be given.

Make up work for Suspensions:

Homework requests will be made by the administrator and will be available to be picked up the day following the first full day of a student's suspension.

Assignments given prior to the suspension that are due during the suspension will be accepted for full credit. The student must arrange a time to turn in the papers/projects with the appropriate teacher. Tests must be taken immediately upon return at a time determined by the teacher.

Assignments given during the suspension and due during the suspension will only be credited at 50%.

Assignments given during the suspension that are due after the suspension will be accepted for full credit (with no adjustment in the due date).

TC

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