ABSENCES

We do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. All absences are deemed excused, and students are granted permission to make up missed work.

Attendance in grades 6-8 is recorded as period attendance. Students are marked present or absent at the beginning of each class period.

SKIPPING SCHOOL

Students who intentionally arrive late or miss a class period or school day are deemed to be “skipping.” The consequences for skipping include a zero for all assignments, quizzes, and tests that occurred during the skipped period or school day. The student will also be disciplined according to the Disciplinary policies outlined in this Handbook.

MAKE-UP WORK

Students are permitted one day of make-up for each day of an absence. For example, a student who is absent for two days would have two additional days to make-up the work. It would be due on the third day returning. Missed tests and exams must be taken by this third day as well.

The educational program offered by Brilliant Minds Christian Academy of Technology is predicated upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation.  Attendance shall be required of all students enrolled in the schools during the days and hours that the school is in session.  School attendance shall be the responsibility of parents and students.  Absences shall be reported to the school attendance office by the parent or adult student as soon as practicable.

Educators have the responsibility to encourage regular attendance of students, maintain accurate attendance records, and follow reporting procedures prescribed by the Head of School.  Schools will record absent and tardy students in the automated student attendance recordkeeping system.

Provision shall be made for promoting school attendance through adjustment of personal problems, education of parents, and enforcement of the compulsory attendance laws and related child-welfare legislation.

 Accordingly:

1. absences must be reported to the school by the parent or adult student as soon as practicable;
   
   Failure to report and explain the absence(s) shall result in unexcused absence(s). The final authority for determining acceptability of the reason for the absence(s) shall rest with the principal.
    
2. teachers shall record absentees each period of the school day and report absences, excused and unexcused, as required by the school;
    
3. insofar as possible, parents should be contacted each time their child has an unexcused absence, or an absence for which the reason is unknown, to prevent the development of patterns of nonattendance;
    
4. when a student has at least five (5) unexcused absences or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a calendar month, or ten (10) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a ninety (90) calendar day period, the teacher shall report to the Principal that the child may be exhibiting a pattern of nonattendance.  Unless there is clear evidence that the absences are not a pattern of nonattendance, the principal will refer the case to the school's child study team to determine if early patterns of truancy are developing.  If the child study team finds that a pattern of nonattendance is developing, a meeting with the parent must be scheduled to identify potential resolutions.  If the problem is not resolved, the child study team will implement interventions as provided in F.S. 1003.26.

Excused Absences

The school considers the following factors to be reasonable excuses for time missed at school:

1. Personal illness of the student (medical evidence will be required by the principal for absences exceeding ten (10) days during the school year.  After ten (10) parentally approved excused absences, a doctor's verification will be required.  A Medical Documentation for Excessive Absences form will be used for documentation of a student’s ongoing treatment for a medical condition.
    
2. Court appearance of the student.
    
3. Medical appointment of the student.
    
4. Pregnancy related issues
    
5. An approved school activity (absences recorded but not reported).
    
6. Insurmountable conditions.  Insurmountable conditions are extreme weather conditions, communicable disease outbreaks, and local conditions determined by the School District which, after taking into account the material circumstances, would render impracticable a student's attendance at school.  (F.A.C. 6A-1.09513)
    
7. Other absences with prior approval of the principal.
    
8. Significant community events with prior permission of the principal.
    
9. Religious instruction or holiday.
    
10. Illness or death in the immediate family.
     
11. Trips with parents shall be prearranged and approved by the school administration.  If such trips are not prearranged, the absences shall not be excused unless the trip was necessitated by an emergency.  The principal will make the final determination.
     
12. Appointments for a therapy service provided by a licensed health care practitioner or behavior analyst certified pursuant to Florida law for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder including, but not limited to, applied behavioral analysis, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

Absences not included in excused absences listed above shall be unexcused.

If the absences are excused, all educational requirements for the course shall be met before a passing grade and/or credit is assigned.

Students may not be given excused absences to remain out of school for the purpose of working unless the job is an integral part of the student's instructional program.

Habitual Truancy

Whenever any student has a total of fifteen (15) days of unexcused absence from school during any ninety (90) calendar day period, with or without the knowledge or consent of the parent, s/he will be considered habitually truant. 

The Head of School is authorized to file a truancy petition under F.S. 984.151 if a student has accrued at least five (5) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a calendar month or ten (10) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown within a ninety (90) calendar day period or has had more than fifteen (15) unexcused absences in a ninety (90) calendar day period.

Make-Up for Absences

For excused absences, the student shall have a reasonable amount of time, no fewer than the number of days absent plus two (2) to complete and hand in work for credit, to complete make-up work for excused absences.  Principals may grant extensions to the make-up time limit for extenuating circumstances.

For unexcused absences, work missed during the student's first three (3) days of unexcused absences during a semester is expected to be made up.  This includes absences caused by an out-of-school suspension.  The right of students to make up work on the fourth unexcused absence and all other days of unexcused absences per semester may be denied.