Alabama statute requires all public schools offer a minimum of 1080 instructional hours per year.This attendance requirement is prorated for students enrolling after the first week of school.
What is Considered Instructional Time · Attending any Class Connect session · Completing online lessons ·Completing off-life lessons (ex: math practice, reading books, etc.Offline work should only account for approximately 20-40% of attendance time.) · Completing required school and state testing
· Attending clubs, meetings, outings, or field trips (These activities can be logged under Supplemental Activities.) Attendance is cumulative. All missed attendance is expected to be made up. For example, if a student misses school (does not log in, does not attend classes, and/or does not complete assignments), he/she must make up the attendance time by completing the missed assignments at some other time. Students can work earlier in the day, work later in the day, or work over the weekend or holidays.
Excused Absences
When a parent/legal guardian knows that their student will be absent, it is requested that the parent/ legal guardian give the school prior written notice of the upcoming absence.
ALDCA considers the following factors to be “reasonable” excuses and will result in an “excused absence” for time missed from school: ·Personal illness (a written physician’s statement verifying the illness may be required); ·Observance of a religious holiday; ·Death in the immediate family; shall mean: parents, legal guardians, spouse, brothers, sisters, children, grandparents, parents-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts and uncles; ·Family emergency; circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent or legal guardian for the safety or health of the student (the reasonableness of the parent’s or legal guardian’s concern is subject to evaluation by the Academic Administrator, Academic Administrator’s designee, on a case-by-case basis); ·Other situations beyond the control of the student as determined by the Academic Administrator, Academic Administrator’s designee, on a case-by-case basis, including, but not limited to, homelessness and its attendant difficulties.
When it is necessary for a student to be absent, it is the parent’s responsibility to call or email (within 24 hours of absence) the student’s homeroom teacher.
Attendance Matters.
Learning Coaches Are Required:
Confirm that their student logs into the OLS daily, (We recommend logging into the Online School by 10:30 am each day to avoid automated messages).
Follow up to ensure student completes daily assignments,
Affirm that the student attends required Class Connect Sessions.
Absences
Every parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of any child is required to attend public school, shall as soon as practical, explain the cause of any absence of the child under his control or charge which was without permission of the teacher, and a failure to furnish such explanation shall be admissible as evidence of such child being a truant with the consent and connivance of the person in control or charge of said child, unless such person can show to the reasonable satisfaction of the court that he/she had no knowledge of such absence and that he/she has been diligent in his efforts to secure the attendance of such child.
What is Considered an Absence? · Not logging into the OLS ·Not logging into courses ·Not attending required Class Connect sessions ·Not completing required assignments
Students will be considered absent for the required amount of time unless a valid written excuse is provided to the homeroom teacher. Absences not identified as “reasonable” above will be considered “unexcused”.
A student is deemed truant when he/she is absent from school without an acceptable excuse when three (3) unexcused absences are accumulated. The parent/legal guardian must submit a doctor’s note or a written excuse for absences that are deemed as excused. (See above).
Extended Absences
At ALDCA, we take great pride in our ability to aid and foster students with intensive physical and mental conditions. These conditions often make extended leaves from school necessary. In the event a student requires therapy and/or treatment for an extended time period (more than 5 school days), the student is encouraged to use the catch-up days available to finish his or her work. However, if the illness/treatment/therapy makes completing assigned tasks impossible and an extension or an excusal of assignments is requested, you must provide your homeroom teacher asigned and dated excuse from a doctor. Note that it is highly suggested that these occurrences/documents be presented as situations arise and not at the end of the semester
Truancy
Students are considered truant if they are absent for more than 3 days. What is Considered an Absence? ·Not logging into the OLS ·Not logging into courses ·Not attending required Class Connect sessions ·Not completing required assignments ALDCA teachers and staff will implement a series of notifications and interventions to help support students and learning coaches who are struggling. Students who are absent for 10 days without excuse or communication will be withdrawn from ALDCA unless the administrators determine that the reason for absence is justified.