Attendance
CHS Attendance*: Freshmen & Sophomores
When your student is absent:
In the morning, a parent/guardian must call (817-949-5609) or email (CHSAttendance@southlakecarroll.edu) the CHS attendance office that their student will not be in school that day (or duration of days).
This requirement is in addition to any emails a student may send to their teachers. Please include the attendance office in any of your teacher, coach or nurse’s email correspondence if it is in regards to absence/attendance issues or emailing of medical excuses.
Students are responsible for communicating with their teachers and completing make-up assignments via CANVAS. Incomplete assignments are reflected in their grades. Students are allowed one day “make-up” time for each day of absence.
If CANVAS is not available to the student: after three consecutive days of absences due to illness, the parent/guardian can request homework. This homework will be available in our front office at the end of the school day for collection by the parent/guardian.
Students who are absent from school for a full day will not be allowed to participate in school-related activities on that day or evening unless approved by the principal or the principal’s designee.
Late Arrivals
9th & 10th grade students must enter classrooms by 8:00am. All students must sign in at the attendance office if they arrive any time after 8:00am – even if it is during a passing period or lunchtime - to receive a pass.
If a student arrives less than 20 minutes late for any block – they receive a tardy. If arrival is greater than 20 minutes, the student is absent for the entire block (per TEA state code). In this case, CHS needs a parent/guardian note or phone call, or a note from another appropriate appointment documenting the absence. If we do not receive notice, the student will be unexcused for the block. Accruing unexcused absences leads to truancy tracking per the TEA Code.
Early Departures of 9th grade students:
Parents/guardians of 9th graders must physically sign their student out at the attendance office for early dismissal. This applies at both our High School and Senior High School. If someone other than a parent/guardian is picking up a student, that person must be listed on the family’s emergency contact list located in Family Access. Parents/guardians must contact the attendance office if a person – not on their emergency contact list – is picking up their child. The office is required to make a copy of that person’s driver’s license in order for the student to be released in their care.
Early Departures of 10th grade students:
Many sophomores drive, therefore their departure policy is different from freshmen. With written parent/guardian notice only, 10th graders may sign themselves out for early dismissal. Please follow these guidelines:
A parent/guardian writes a hard-copy note (no email or phone call) that includes the following:
~ Name of student name
~ Date of departure
~ Time of dismissal
~ Signature of parent/guardian signature
~ Phone of parent/guardian
In the morning, the student brings the hard-copy, parent/guardian note to the attendance office in exchange for an early dismissal slip. At the approved time, the student shows the dismissal slip to their teacher and walks down to the attendance office to sign out.
TEA 90% Attendance Rule (excessive absences):
For Texas public schools, there is a 90% attendance requirement for students. Students can still achieve this if they only miss up to 4 absences per-block, per-semester If a student misses any additional blocks during a semester – they owe one credit hour for each block missed to bring their attendance back up to 90%. Our assistant principal’s office has a process in place to help students make up that time before or after school. Please know that if a student presents a written excuse for the following absences – they will not count against their credit hours:
Professional Medical Excuse
Court appearance document
DMV appointment with permit/license
Written note of religious observance
Written note of funeral
Naturalization paper work
Your student’s attendance is always available under their profile in Family Access. Families generally use the 4 free absences per-block, per-semester for travel, club sports, or when their child is ill – but not sick enough to see a physician. Per the TEA, non-school sponsored sports are not excused absences. When students miss school because they are participating in club sports or an OCPA event – they receive regular absences.
Per the TEA, 9th & 10th graders do not receive excused absences for college visits – they receive regular absences.
Student Health Issues:
Illness during the school day: Students who become ill during the school day should report to the school nurse with the teacher’s permission. A student who becomes ill and does not report to the nurse or main office but goes elsewhere or leaves school without checking out will be considered truant from classes missed.
The nurse will decide if a student should be sent home and will notify the student’s parent/guardian. This also applies to students who come on campus and then decide to leave the campus before class begins.
Communicable Diseases: Parents of a student with a communicable or contagious disease or condition should notify the school nurse so that other students who have been exposed to the disease can be alerted. A student who has a certain disease is not allowed to come to school while the disease is contagious.
CHS Tardy Policy:
Students who are tardy to school (not in the classroom by 8:00am) are required to report to the attendance window for a pass. No student will be admitted into class without a pass from the attendance office. Please note that any student who is late more than 20 minutes to any class will be counted absent for the entire period. Since instructional time is crucial to student success, it is important that class begin on time with no interruptions. Students should plan their activities during the 12-minute passing period so they are in class and prepared for the lesson to begin when the tardy bell rings. Students will be allowed three tardies per class per grading period. Upon the fourth tardy in the class during a grading period, the student will be referred to the office where they will be assigned disciplinary consequences. Subsequent tardies will result in further disciplinary actions.
Consequences for Tardies to Each Class:
4th tardy 2 hours Friday night detention hall.
5th tardy 2 hours Friday night detention hall.
6th tardy 4 hours Friday night detention hall and parent phone conference.
7th tardy 4 hours Friday night detention hall and mandatory parent conference.
Truancy:
Students who are absent from school or from any class (including those 20+ minutes late) without parent/guardian permission are truant. Truant students will be subject to disciplinary action, such as CHIP after-school or Friday Night Live. It is the legal responsibility of each parent/guardian to ensure their student’s school attendance.
*All policies shall follow the CISD Grade and Reporting Handbook.
* All CISD Attendance information and procedures, based on school board policy, are available in the 2023 – 2024 CISD Student Handbook.