Describe each strategy and include benchmarks/data points per quarter.
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Unexcused Absences
Griffin Elementary School follows the District Attendance Policy 5.5 and Student Code of Conduct. Teachers take attendance daily in their classroom using Pinnacle. The IMT will directly input and tardy and/or Early Release minutes. The IMT will record all excused absences.
Attendance policy will be included in student’s agenda and will be reviewed with students at the start of the school year. All faculty and staff will review the attendance plan at the beginning of the school year.
Parents will receive a copy of the policy at the start of the school year. Parents and students will be asked to sign and return the statement indicating that they have read and understand the policy. Parents are reminded about the importance of having their child(ren) in school every day in via school newsletters, Parent Link, and during parent nights.
Guidance Counselor and Social Worker will provide counseling to students and parents to discuss strategies to improve student attendance.
Adoption of a tiered series of notification for students who are missing increasing number of school days. The school will use a varirty of communication measures to connect with the parents.
- 3 days - Phone call home from the school and/or letter from the school will be sent home
- 5 days- Letter to the parents will be generated from the state and sent to the parent. Parent has to report to school for a BTIP meeting. Attendance contract is signed. The attendance policy will be explained to parents.
- 10 days- A Letter will be sent to parents from the county. Parent have to report to Broward County Truancy Court fro mediation to explain absences to a truancy team
- If parents cannot be reached, the School Social Worker will conduct a home visit.
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Excessive Excused Absences
(5 or more in a single month)
If a student is absent for more than three (3) consecutive days, the teacher will initiate parent contact through telephone calls, notes home, and teacher conferences.
Administration will follow up with the parents after 5 days of excused absences in a semester. Attendance policy and the BTIP process will be explained and parent will be requested to sign an attendance agreement. In addition, Administration will advise parents that in accordance with Florida statute, School Board Policy 5.5 and the Broward County Public Schools Code of Student Conduct, schools have a legal right to require a written medical excuse.
Griffin Elementary School will use the Medical Excuse Letter, and/or Medical Verification letter if necessary.
If absences are due a medical condition- referral to SSW and CPST to determine need for additional interventions (504 plan, Hospital Homebound).
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Tardiness
Students need to be in the building by 7:55 a.m. Students are marked tardy if they are not in their classroom by the 8:00 a.m. bell. At 8:00 a.m. students enter through the front office to secure a tardy pass, which documents the arrival time. Teachers mark tardy times up till 8:15 AM, thereafter the IMT enters the student’s tardy minutes into Pinnacle. Tardy letters will be generated to the parent if the child receives 5 or more during a 9 week period.
If students are tardy more than 10 days in a 9 week period, IMT will initiate a request for address verification to ensure that students are attending their appropriate boundary school.
Excessive tardiness will be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern
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Excessive Early Sign Out
Students are not permitted to be signed out after 1:30 p.m., unless approved by administration. Signs are strategically posted stating “School Board Policy: No Early Sign Outs after 1:30 p.m.
Excessive early sign-outs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern of non-attendance.
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Pattern of Non-Attendance
(Combinaton of the 4 previews strategies)
If a pattern of non-attendance is developing, whether the absences are excused or not, administration will schedule a meeting with the parent to identify potential remedies. Administration will also discuss Attendance policy and the BTIP process and parent will be requested to sign an attendance agreement if they have not already signed.
Administration will mention to the parent the statistics about how missing 10% of school contributes to your child being behind in their work, confused at school and sometimes behind a whole reading level.
Griffin Elementary School will use the Medical Excuse Letter, and/or Medical Verification letter to determine the need for additional referrals for assistance by school counselor, SSW and or other agency.
Students may also be referred to RTI team to determine if absences are due a medical condition and if a 504 plan or Hospital Homebound if warranted.
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Chronic Absenteeism
On the elementary level, initial truancy interventions are provided by the CPST, or by the school at the 5-day BTIP meeting.
Parent(s)/guardian(s) are notified via letter from the State Attorney to meet with BTIP designee/Administration regarding non-compliance with attendance policy 5.5. Administration, School Social Worker and parent(s)/guardian(s) discuss reasons for non-attendance. A plan of action will be developed, and an attendance agreement will be signed. Non-compliance after the plan has been developed will result in charges being filed with the State Attorney’s office.
If students are on a "reassignment", their reassignment may also be revoked and the parent will need to register their child at his/her home school.
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