Below is our school policy regarding student absences:
Reynoldsburg City Schools will refer excessive, unexcused absences and tardiness to the appropriate county juvenile court. The events that will lead to a referral are as follows:
- Five (5) unexcused absences – a letter will be sent to the parent by the building principal.
- Ten (10) absences, excused or unexcused – a conference may be scheduled with the parents, the school social worker or guidance counselor, and/or the principal to create an action plan that will prevent future absences. At this time, a doctor’s note may be required for any additional absences to be excused.
- Fifteen (15) unexcused absences will result in a referral being made to Children Services and charges may be filed, on parents, with the Prosecutor’s Office. A referral to the Reynoldsburg Police department may also be initiated.
- Any absence due to discipline issues will be considered unexcused absences.
Regular attendance by all students is very important. In many cases, irregular attendance is the major reason for poor school work; therefore, all students are urged to make appointments, do personal errands, etc. outside of school hours.
Reasons for which students may be excused include, but are not limited to:
1. Personal illness of the student;
2. Illness in the student’s family;
3. Needed at home to perform necessary work directly and exclusively for parents or legal guardians (applies to students over 14 years of age only);
4. Death in the family;
5. Quarantine for contagious disease;
6. Religious reasons;
7. Traveling out of state to attend a Board-Approved enrichment activity or extracurricular activity (applies to absences of up to four days)
8. Other reasons as determined by the Superintendent.
Each student who is absent must immediately, upon return to school, make arrangements with his/her teacher(s) to make up work missed. Students who are absent from school for reasons not permitted by State law may, or may not, be permitted to make up work. Each case is considered on its merits by the principal and the respective teacher(s). Students are required to bring a note to school within three (3) school days after each absence explaining the reason for the absence or tardiness.
The Board strongly discourages absence from school for vacations or other non-emergency trips. The responsibility for such absences resides with the parent(s), and they must not expect any work missed by their child to be retaught by the teacher. If the school is notified in advance of such a trip, reasonable efforts are made to prepare a general list of assignments for the student to do while he/she is absent.