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Attendance

Attendance Matters

According to the Virgin Islands Board of Education Promotional Policies 1.21 for grades 7 - 12: 

"A student ‘s grades will be affected by unexcused by tardiness and absence in the following manner:

a. Five instances of unexcused tardiness equal one unexcused absence

b. For each unexcused absence per marking period, the student’s average will be reduced by one point

c. Twenty or more unexcused absences for the year results in a failing grade for the course"

ATTENDANCE 

  • School attendance is the responsibility of the student and parent/legal guardian.
  • Student absences will be recorded as unexcused until an acceptable excuse has been provided by the parent/legal guardian indicating the reason and date of the student’s absence. Attendance documentation must be submitted within 48 hours of the student’s absence. (The 48 hours deadline may be extended).

Absences will be excused for the following:

  • Illness, injury, or other overwhelming condition (either dismissed through a medical facility or with a note from a parent/guardian; if a student is repeatedly absent for the same illness, the school may require the parent/legal guardian to provide a written physician's statement for each subsequent absence to be considered excused. Students are required to provide a doctor's note when absent for three or more consecutive days or more than five nonconsecutive days for medical reasons.
  • Illness or death of a member of the student's immediate family (mother, father, brother, sister, stepmother, stepfather, stepsibling, and other relatives who live in the student's home).
  • Medical appointment (requires doctor's note)
  • Legal appointment (with documentation)
  • Participation in approved activity or class of instruction held at another site
  • Pre-arranged absences of educational value with the principal's prior approval
  • Catastrophic disasters that significantly impact the life of the student

A student who is not in his/her class at the beginning of the class period is considered tardy.

Students will be given a reasonable amount of time to make up any assignments which were missed during excused absence. (At least one day shall be allowed to make up missed work for each day of absence.)

Phone calls are not acceptable communications for excusing an absence.