• Attendance Matters!!

    Philosophy
    We expect our students here every day! Attendance is particularly important at SAIL. It is a critical component of our hands-on, innovative approach to learning. To reinforce good attendance, we offer the possibility of Intensive preference, pizza parties, and other rewards to students who have great attendance (plus good academics and discipline record). For non-attendance, we utilize a “conferencing approach” instead of an automatic failure policy. However, SAIL is a magnet school and part of electing to come to SAIL is your agreement to participate. Attendance is participation.

    RESPONSIBILITIES/PROCEDURES FOR CLEARING AN ABSENCE 

    PARENTS – email excuse notes to SAILAttendance@leonschools.net on a daily basis. Please turn in excuse notes as soon as possible. NEW – you can also upload excuse notes in Parent Portal/FOCUS.  **See below for excused absences.  Please do not leave messages for tardies and/or early release information. In order to clear a prior day’s absences, a note signed by parent/guardian is required to be turned into the office, emailed, or uploaded to the Parent Portal/FOCUS. 

    STUDENTS – It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to check your attendance daily in the Focus Portal. Check in with the office to clear up absences and submit written documentation, etc. before school, during lunch or after school. Also, please remember to sign in and out at the office when you arrive late or leave school early.

    Excused Absences
    Absences can be excused for the following reasons:
    •    Illness
    •    Illness/death in the family
    •    Appointment with doctor/dentist
    •    Court
    •    Late school bus
    •    Emergency at home
    •    Religious holidays
    For doctor’s and court appointments, please remember to bring a note and try not to miss a whole day of school.

    Excessive excused absences may necessitate a doctor’s excuse and/or a parent attendance conference. You must attend school regularly to hold your seat at SAIL.

    Pre-arranged absence(s)
    Students may have absences approved in advance by completing the Pre-Approved Absence Form—signed by their teachers and turned in to the front office prior to the planned absence. Forms are available in the front office or on our webpage.

    Make-up Work
    In the case of absences, on the first day of the student’s return to school, students must ask each teacher for make -up work. Work missed may also be posted on a teacher’s Canvas Course (*see individual teacher’s policy for make-up work and grading). A student has a period equal to the number of days absent to complete their make-up work.

    Failure to complete make-up work within the allotted time frame may result in a failing grade. The teacher may not accept make-up work for absences that are marked un-excused. See each teacher’s policy.

    Unexcused Absences
    Absences that CANNOT be excused: skipping class, conducting personal business, oversleeping, “mental health” day, continual car problems, or a late city bus. 

    Missed assignments & tests may be penalized or not accepted. See each teacher’s policy for more details.

    **Attendance and discipline guidelines are subject to change based on district policy.

    Poor Attendance Interventions/Consequences
    Truancy
    Truancy is defined as a student, subject to compulsory school attendance, who has had:
    •    5 unexcused absences within a calendar month, or
    •    10 unexcused absences within any 90 calendar days, or
    •    Has had more than 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days.
    Truancy may lead to a court appearance and possible legal consequences.

    Possible school consequences may include school choice revocation, loss of off-campus lunch permission, field trips, Intensive preference, extracurricular activities, and/or graduation ceremony participation.

    Per school district policy, all students with more than 9 unexcused absences in a semester must pass the semester exam in order to earn credit.

    Driver’s License Consequences - Students between the ages of 14 and 18 who accumulate 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days may lose their driver’s license or become ineligible for driving privileges. The school district shall notify the Division of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles pursuant to law and rule. 

    Chronic Absenteeism:
    Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student who misses 10 percent or more of instructional days during the school year for ANY reason (excused or unexcused).

    10 or more excused/unexcused absences per 9 weeks will require a parent attendance conference. Possible attendance contract and reassignment could be revoked.

    Attending school is important! We want you here every day.

    Tardy Policy
    Students should be in class by the tardy bell. Students arriving after the tardy bell must sign in the front office upon arrival. Teacher will assign an isolated lunch if a student has three unexcused tardies. Continued tardiness will result in parent conference, attendance contract and reassignment could be revoked.

    Passes to Class
    Students receive a pass from the office upon sign in, and their attendance or absence will automatically be recorded. The attendance “kiosk” default is unexcused.

    Arriving/Leaving Class/Campus 
    Supervision starts at 7:30 a.m. Once students arrive at SAIL (student parking lot, bus zone, etc.), they must immediately come on to the campus. They may sit quietly outside in the hallways (Upper and East fields are not allowed), the Media Center, or the cafeteria. Palmer Munroe Pavilion is off-limits before school, at lunch, and throughout the school day.  Parents should NOT drop students off at the park or drop off at the bus ramp. 

    Students arriving late MUST check in at the office before going to class. 

    In order to leave campus for any reason (other than a class field trip) students must gain parental permission and sign out at the front office, and their attendance or absence will automatically be recorded. Students must wait in class or in the office until their approved ride arrives. Students are not allowed to hang out in the parking lot. 

    After 2:30 p.m., no supervision is provided, and any student on campus must be participating in a teacher-sponsored activity with supervision. 

    For late arrival or early dismissal, an email must be sent to sailattendance@leonschools.net or a note turned in to the front office to excuse the student’s absence (see above for excused absences).  The attendance “kiosk” default is unexcused.