Marcus Campbell
campbell.marcus@westada.org
phone# 208-350-4161
fax #208-350-4178

A Couple of Reminders for Our Students:

When a student arrives at school after classes have begun, please have them stop by the Attendance Window to check-in. If your student is returning from an appointment, they also need to stop by the Attendance Window to check in so that we know they are back in the building.

If your student has attended any type of appointment and brings back an official note that verifies their appointment(s), their absence will be waived. Official notes from appointments can be submitted at the Attendance Window, faxed to 208-350-4178, or emailed to campbell.marcus@westada.org

If your student was present in class but was marked absent by mistake, it can be fixed! All your student needs to do is stop by the Attendance Office and grab an Attendance Change Form. If the teacher signs the Attendance Change Form verifying that the student was present, the student then returns the form to the Attendance Office, and their attendance will be corrected.

MHS Attendance Information and Policy:

The MHS Attendance Line phone number is 208-350-4161. Please scan the QR code to report your student's absence OR click on the link for MHS Absence Reporting above. Advanced Absence From MHS Absence Reporting

Please call the Attendance Line listed above for a Permit to Leave. If your student has an appointment and you need to check them out early, a one-hour notice is appreciated so we have enough time to get your student from class. Don't forget to let us know if your student will be returning after their appointment.

If your student travels to a CTE class, you must report their absence to the CTE school. Please limit calls to our Main Office number for non-attendance-related needs so we may better serve our parents and students.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

ABSENCES: Students are allowed three (3) absences per class period during the semester. Students who receive four (4) absences or more per class period may lose credit.

The following absences count towards a student's total of three (3) absences: Parent Call (PRC), Truancy (TR), Unverified (A), and Out of School Suspension (OSS).

TARDIES: A student will be marked Tardy (T) if they are up to ten (10) minutes late. On the fourth unexcused Tardy and all subsequent Tardies per class, a student will be required to attend designated detention(s). Loss of credit can occur if detentions are not served. A Tardy is also given when a student has a Permit to Leave class with 10 minutes or less remaining.

TARDY LATE: When students arrive in class after ten (10) minutes, they will be marked Tardy Late (TL). A Tardy Late is not counted as an absence but is disciplined as part of the tardy policy. A Tardy Late counts as two (2) Tardies. A Tardy Late is also given when a student has a Permit to Leave class while there is more than 10 minutes remaining.

NO TARDIES WILL BE EXCUSED unless an official note has been provided (Doctor, Dentist, Orthodontist, Counseling, Court Appointment, etc.), a student's bus arrives late, or when other extenuating circumstances arise with administrative approval. A parent call does NOT excuse a tardy or tardy late.

DETENTIONS SERVED: When a student completes a designated detention or consequence for lateness, the Tardy or Tardy Late will be changed to Excused Late Arrival (XLA) and will no longer count against them.

ATTENDANCE AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES: A student who is absent during any part of the day may not participate in a sporting activity, performance, or function that day unless deemed an extraordinary absence. Students must be in attendance at school the entire school day in order to participate in extracurricular activities after school or in the evening

of that same day. Exceptions include situations beyond the control of the student, such as court appearances, bereavement, or medical/dental appointments (a doctor's note must be provided before the end of the school day).

PERMIT TO LEAVE: If a student requires a Permit to Leave to exit a class before the class period is complete, the student may be given a Tardy (T), Tardy Late (TL), or absence (PRC) depending on the time that the student leaves class.

If it is necessary for a student to leave campus, they must obtain a Permit to Leave from the Attendance Office. Failure to secure this Permit to Leave will result in a truancy as stated in the school handbook.

In order to facilitate a student's release, we kindly ask that you give at least a one-hour notice due to high call volume, so that we can best serve you and ensure that your student gets out of class at the requested time.

A parent or guardian listed as a household or emergency contact on PowerSchool must call the Attendance Office prior to their student leaving. Handwritten notes will not be accepted.

Please be advised that if you call after 2:20 p.m. for a Permit to Leave, we cannot guarantee your student will receive it. We will try our best, but our Attendance Line experiences hundreds of phone calls a day, and with only one Attendance Secretary, this is a difficult task to manage when short notice is given.

We are not able to deliver Permits to Leave during school assemblies, so please plan ahead if you need to have your student dismissed on an assembly day.

The benefit of calling the attendance line and leaving a message for a Permit to Leave is that your student has permission to leave their classroom at the time you requested and will walk out the front door of the school to meet you outside. You won't have to enter the school to get your student!

ADVANCED ABSENCES:

Advanced Absence Form reasons: vacation, sporting events, and college visits.

The Advanced Absence Form is a request and not a guarantee that the absence will be waived. The request will be reviewed and authorized by the Vice Principal in charge.

This form can be picked up at the Attendance Office or downloaded from the MHS website. It must be turned in no later than 48 hours prior to the absence.

In order for the absence to be excused, all teacher signatures for the day(s) the absence occurs are required, all student and parent requirements listed on the form must be completed, and a parent must verify the absence by reporting it online. Once all requirements have been met, the absence has been approved by a Vice Principal, and your student has completed all missed classwork upon return, your student's attendance will change from a parent call (PRC) to alternate learning (ALT).

STATE ATTENDANCE POLICY: The laws of the State of Idaho require all youth to attend school regularly until the age of sixteen (16). Regular and consistent attendance is necessary for maximum student learning. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to aid school authorities in enforcing this attendance policy.

Students are allowed three (3) absences per class period during the semester. Students who receive four (4) absences in any class will lose credit unless cleared by the administration as extraordinary within five (5) days of the absence. If a student exceeds four (4) absences, the student will need to follow an appeal process with their Vice Principal. Regular and consistent attendance is an indicator of success in school and is necessary for maximum student learning and success! Please plan your vacations around the school schedule.

TRUANCY: Truancy is defined as a student being absent without the approval of his/her parents, guardian, or school officials. Truancy occurs when:

An unauthorized phone call is made.

An unauthorized note is sent to school.

The parent refuses to excuse an absence.

The student leaves school without permission.

The student is in the building but is out of class without permission.

Full-day truancies or single-period cuts will result in a parent contact or conference. Students declared truant may be assigned to Saturday School, the Safe School suspension room, after school detention, or lunch detention to make up the time they have missed. A third truancy may result in suspension.

EXCESSIVE ABSENCES: If a student is absent for fifteen (15) consecutive school days, whether or not the absences are verified, the student will be dis-enrolled from school. At the time the student returns to school, they may be re-enrolled. Students served by homebound tutors or absent due to illness documented by licensed medical personnel will not be included in this procedure.

Being an efficient school is very important to us as we serve our students, parents, staff, and community. We appreciate your help in this process.