SUBMITTED By GAIL WACHACHA
Parents and students, the school day at Cherokee Middle School begins at 7:55 a.m. and ends at 3:10 p.m. Attendance is taken for each class. Therefore, if you leave early you will be marked with an unexcused absence for each class until you return to school with a doctor statement or written note from your parents. If a nurse sends you home that absence will be marked excused. However, be aware that I check with the nurse at the end of each day to make sure the absence is excused. If the nurse tells me the absence is not excused the absence will be marked unexcused.
Each student is allowed 10 unexcused and 10 excused days with a total of 20 days. If a student leaves early, any classes following the student’s departure are also counted toward the number of absences the student is allowed to miss. It is important to bring in a doctors statement and any written notes when you return.
As you may remember in the past, if you attended school until 11 a.m. you were counted as being present for the whole day. With the change to our attendance policy, that is no longer the case. If a student is not at school they are not being educated. It is important for students to stay in school.
Helpful Hints:
- If possible make appointments when school is not open.
- Try to make the appointments before or after core classes.
- Do your best to return to school after your appointment.
- If a student is going to be out, call the school and request any work missed so your student does not get behind.
- Review the attendance policy in the student handbook beginning on page 4.
If you have questions or concerns please feel free to call me at 554-5065.
Gail is the attendance counselor at Cherokee Middle School.
