American Christian Academy
Rationale: Students are learning much more from their school experience than textbook information. They are learning many “life” lessons and developing habits that will either help them or hinder them when they leave American Christian Academy to enter the next phase of their life. Good attendance is essential to good learning. Doing make-up work is always inferior to actual classroom time. Habits of steady and consistent attendance carry over to the work or career world. The administration has designed the following attendance policies to teach and reinforce Christian values such as self-discipline, punctuality, consistency, and consideration for others. If a student is absent, it will be classified as either excused or unexcused depending on the cause. BOTH accumulate to impact learning and therefore the grades earned. PLEASE READ AND CONSIDER THIS CAREFULLY. Excessive unexcused absences are considered truancy. We are legally responsible to report excessive absences to the authorities at DHR.
Excused Absences or Checkouts
Absences or checkouts due to personal illness, illness or death in the immediate family, emergency medical or dental attention, other legitimate emergency situations and absences approved in advance by the administration are considered excused. Students will be allowed to complete make-up work for excused absences if a written note or email explaining the cause is sent to the teacher when the student returns to school.
Unexcused Absences or Checkouts
All other absences not covered in the above “excused” action list are considered unexcused absences. Students who are absent without appropriate cause will not be allowed to make up missed assignments.
Excessive Absences
For a student to receive grade level credit, yearly absences may not exceed twenty (20). Whether the absences are excused or unexcused does not change the credit ruling. Exceptions may be granted under unusual circumstances after parental consultation with the administration.
If a student has a chronic medical condition, a letter from the attending physician describing the condition should be submitted for the student’s records.
Tardiness
Students who arrive after the announcements have started, are considered tardy. These students must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to the elementary desk where they will receive an admit slip. Students who are late for unexcused reasons, will not be allowed to make up the work that has occurred in the classroom before his/her arrival. Students accumulating 10 tardies will receive an unexcused absence of 1 day.
Checking Out and Checking In
If an elementary student “checks out” during the day for an appointment, the parent or guardian should come to the elementary desk to sign the check out register. (For the safety of our children, we ask that you present a picture I.D. to the desk worker) A note should be given to the teacher the morning of the planned “check out” so the teacher will have time to gather homework, notes, books, etc. Sixth grade students will check in and out through the main office.