Absences

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:70 (Attendance and Truancy)

Absences fall into two major categories: excused, and unexcused or truancy. Principals are charged with the responsibility for using these categories to determine the necessity of an absence. The following are the Illinois State Board of Education parameters used to determine attendance:

• Half-day kindergarten: Since CCSD 89 has a half-day program, students who miss more than 55 minutes will be considered absent for the day.
• Full-day kindergarten and grade 1: Students who miss more than 114 minutes but less than 3 hours and 55 minutes of school will be credited with half-day attendance. Students who miss 3 hours and 55 minutes or more of school will be considered absent for the full day.
• Grades 2-5: Students who miss more than 54 minutes but less than 3 hours and 5 minutes of school will be credited with a half-day of attendance. Students who miss 3 hours and 5 minutes or more of school will be considered absent for the full day.
• Grades 6-8: Students who miss more than 37 minutes but less than 3 hours, 6 minutes of school will be credited with a half-day of attendance. This translates to missing four class periods during a day. Students who miss more than 3 hours and 6 minutes of school will be considered absent for a full day. This translates to missing five or more class periods during a day.

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:90 (Release During School Hours)

For safety and security reasons, a prior written or oral consent of a student’s custodial parent/guardian is required before a student is released during school hours: (1) at any time before the regular dismissal time or at any time before school is otherwise officially closed, and/or (2) to any person other than a custodial parent/guardian.

Absentee Phone Lines

The elementary schools should be called before 8:30 a.m. if a child will be absent for the morning session or for the entire day. The schools have voicemail that will record absentee information. The middle school should be contacted before 7:45 a.m. if a child will be absent for part of the day or the entire day.

Arbor View             (630) 469-5505, press 1

Briar Glen                (630) 545-3300, press 1

Glen Crest               (630) 469-5220, press 1

Park View                (630) 858-1600, press 1

Westfield                 (630) 858-2770, press 1

Parents/guardians must notify the school by phone or in writing if the student is tardy for any reason.

Attendance Policy

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:70 (Attendance and Truancy)

Whoever has custody or control of a child who is enrolled in the school, regardless of the child’s age, shall ensure that the child attends school during the entire time school is in session. Regular school attendance is vital to a student’s achievement and success in school. For this reason, the Board of Education believes that absenteeism must be kept to a minimum by the joint cooperation of the student, parents/guardians, and school personnel.

The superintendent shall maintain a system of attendance accounting that supports the concept of consistency of attendance on the part of each student enrolled in a CCSD 89 school. The accounting system shall be detailed in standard operating procedures.

Chronic or Habitual Truant

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:70 (Attendance and Truancy)

Students who miss more than 1 percent but less than 5 percent of the prior 180 regular school days without valid cause (a recognized excuse) are truant.  Students who miss 5 percent or more of the prior 180 regular school days without valid cause (a  recognized excuse) are considered chronic truants.

Once a student’s absenteeism has been classified as truancy, chronic truancy, or as being characteristic of a truant minor, the superintendent shall direct the appropriate district staff to develop diagnostic procedures to be used with the student. The diagnostic procedures may include, but are not limited to, interviews with the student, his or her guardians, and any school officials or other parties who may have information about the reasons for the student’s attendance concerns.

A student who is absent 15 consecutive days and cannot be located – or a student who refuses to return to school despite supportive services being offered - may be dropped from the school’s enrollment. Upon return, and whenever possible, the student will be re-enrolled in the same class or classes they had been enrolled in prior to the extended absence.

A parent or guardian who knowingly and willfully permits a child to be truant is in violation of State law.

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:70 (Attendance and Truancy)

A child is considered to be a truant minor when supportive services for the chronic truant have been provided, or offered but refused by the parents, guardians, and/or student, or have failed to result in the remediation of the chronic truancy. Truant minors are referred to the Regional Office of Education Truancy Intervention Program. Punitive actions, including out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, or court action, shall not be taken against a chronic truant for his/her truancy unless available supportive services and other school resources, including prevention, diagnostic, intervention and remedial services, and alternative programs, have been provided and have failed to result in the cessation of chronic truancy, or have been offered and refused.

E-Learning

See also: ‘School Closings’

E-learning is available when the school is closed due to weather conditions. When schools are closed on an emergency basis (such as snowfall or ice that makes travel dangerous), CCSD 89 staff members can provide temporary e-learning. (For more information on weather-related school closings, go to: www.ccsd89.org/closing) All policies in this book, including those relating to discipline, apply to students who are in person as well as those who are participating in e-learning.

An e-learning day will consist of at least five hours of instruction or schoolwork. The e-learning day could consist of checking assignments, learning new skills, practicing skills, working on projects, working with other students, teacher instruction, or other academic tasks. Students could be working on any of the subjects that would take place during an in-person school day. Support staff (counselors, psychologists, etc.) may also be available.

When weather reports indicate that severe weather may close schools the next day, students should bring their technology devices home with them. CCSD 89 makes every effort to keep schools open if it is safe to do so.

If school must provide e-learning, students should check their CCSD 89 email account or online classroom for instruction and assignments at the start of the school day. If students cannot participate in e-learning, they should contact the school to report an absence. E-learning is not available for students who are absent due to vacation.

Excessive Absences

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:70 (Attendance and Truancy)

Any student who is absent for 10 percent of regular attendance days - excused or unexcused - may be considered to have excessive absences. The school will contact the student and their parents/guardians if accumulated absences become excessive. The district will track and provide early identification or potentially harmful attendance practices, and provide a progressive, multi-level plan toward remediation of the problem as defined in the Illinois School Code, Section 26-2a. If absences continue to be excessive after supportive services have been provided, a medical note signed by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, including MD, DO, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant, may be required in order to have the absence excused. The note must state the dates that the student was unable to attend school and the date a medical professional saw the student.

Excused Absences

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:70 (Attendance and Truancy)

The importance of regular school attendance is vital to the learning continuity needed to promote maximum opportunities for achievement and success. State law lists valid causes for keeping your child home from school. Valid causes include: personal illness; observance of a religious holiday or event; death in the family; family emergency or circumstances which cause reasonable parental concern for the safety and health of the student’s mental, emotional, health or safety; attending a military honors funeral to sound ‘Taps’; mental or behavioral health days; or other reason approved by the building principal.

Students are allowed up to five mental or behavioral health days per school year. The student is not required to provide a medical note and must be given the opportunity to make up any schoolwork missing during such absences. Following the second day, a student may be referred to the appropriate school personnel.

Additionally, a student will be excused for up to five days in cases where the student’s parent/guardian is an active-duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat-support postings. The Board may excuse a student for additional days relative to such leave or deployment. A student and the student’s parent/guardian are responsible for obtaining assignments from the student’s teachers prior to any excused absences and for ensuring that such assignments are completed by the student prior to his or her return to school.

The school may require documentation explaining the reason for the student’s absence.

In the event of any absence, the student’s parent or guardian is required to call the school to explain the reason for the absence. If a call has not been made to the school by 10 a.m., or the student has not checked in remotely, a school official will call the home to inquire why the student is not at school. If the parent or guardian cannot be contacted, the student will be required to submit a signed note from the parent or guardian explaining the reason for the absence. Failure to do so shall result in an unexcused absence. Upon request of the parent or guardian, the reason for an absence will be kept confidential. The district requires, at the time of enrollment, at least one telephone number at which parents/guardians can be reached by the school regarding absence notifications.

Extended Absences

A student who is absent 15 consecutive days and cannot be located – or a student who refuses to return to school despite supportive services being offered - may be dropped from the school’s enrollment. Upon return, and whenever possible, the student will be re-enrolled in the same class or classes they had been enrolled in prior to the extended absence.

Home and Hospital Instruction

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 6:150 (Home and Hospital Instruction)

A student who is absent from school - or whose physician, physician assistant, or advance practice registered nurse anticipates his or her absence from school - because of a medical condition may be eligible for instruction in the student’s home or hospital.

A student who is unable to attend school because of pregnancy will be provided home instruction, correspondence courses, or other courses of instruction before (1) the birth of the child when the student’s physician indicates, in writing, that she is medically unable to attend regular classroom instruction, and (2) for up to 3 months after the child’s birth or a miscarriage.

For information on home or hospital instruction, contact the Director of Student Services, Katie Kreller.

Notification of Absence

Schools have a legal obligation to make a conscientious effort to report any unauthorized absence, within two hours of the start of the school day, to the child’s parent, guardian, or other person having legal custody. The requirements of this policy shall have been met if notification of an absence has been attempted by calling the home or business phone numbers provided to the school by the parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of a child, whether or not there is any answer at such telephone number or numbers. Further, the requirements of this policy shall have been met if the said notification is given to a member of the household of the child’s parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of the child, provided the member of the household is 10 years of age or older.

Release Time for Religious Observance

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:80 (Release Time for Religious Instruction/Observance)

A student shall be released from school, as an excused absence, to observe a religious holiday or for religious instruction. The student’s parent/guardian must give written notice to the building principal at least five calendar days before the student’s anticipated absence(s). Students excused for religious reasons will be given an opportunity to make up all missed work, including homework and tests, for equivalent academic credit.

Resources and Supportive Services for Chronic Truants

In addition to developing the diagnostic procedures listed in Board Policy 7:70 (Attendance and Truancy), CCSD 89 also provides the following resources and supportive services for the chronic truant and their parents or guardians:

1. Conferences with school personnel;
2. Student and family counseling;
3. Psychological testing;
4. Schedule or program changes; and
5. Information about existing community agencies for appropriate services.

When the supportive services of the school district have been offered to the student, and if these measures prove ineffective so that the truancy persists, the building principal shall refer the matter to the Truant Office of the Educational Service Region of DuPage County. The Board of Education, superintendent, administrators, and teachers of CCSD 89 shall assist and furnish any information that may be helpful in aiding truancy officers in the performance of their duties.

School Closings

If there is a serious weather emergency, the automated emergency phone system will be activated to contact each family. To receive these messages, you must ensure the school has up-to-date emergency contact information. School closing information can be obtained via the district’s website (www.ccsd89.org); Facebook account (facebook.com/CCSD89); or X (Twitter) account    (@CCSD89). The buses usually run every day that school is in session, although schedules may vary in bad weather for reasons of safety and slow-moving traffic.

If weather and road conditions become worse during the school day, it may become advisable to dismiss school early. In addition to weather, there are other types of emergencies that may cause an early dismissal of school. Parents should be aware of the possibility that early school dismissals may be necessary and should make plans for the care of their children. Parents should also make sure their children know which individuals have been listed on school forms as people who can pick them up if school is dismissed early.

Severe Storm Warning at Dismissal Time

If a severe storm approaches the area at dismissal time, all children will be kept at school until the storm warning is lifted. Students will then be dismissed and buses will proceed as usual.

Truancy/Unexcused Absences

Truancy is defined as an absence without valid cause for any school day or a portion thereof.

This definition applies to any child who is subject to compulsory school attendance. Unexcused absences, which may be classified as truancy, include those when the school office has not been notified that a child will be absent from school.

Parents are discouraged from taking their children on vacations or trips when school is in session. Vacations are recorded as unexcused absences. If family vacations or trips are unavoidable, the school should be notified several days in advance. Students who are absent because of extended vacations will not receive homework assignments ahead of time, nor remedial instruction upon their return. In addition, students should be present during standardized testing, which is essential to monitoring current understandings and drive future instruction.

When to Keep Your Child Home

The importance of regular school attendance is vital to promote maximum opportunities for achievement and success. While illness is never predictable, students should not attend school if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

1. Fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
2. Vomiting or diarrhea
3. White patches on the tonsils
4. Red or irritated eye or eyes, which may be pink eye (conjunctivitis). May also see swollen eyelids and pus or crusting
5. Severe cold with sneezing, coughing, running nose (especially if nasal drainage is very thick or green/yellow in color)
6. Persistent cough/extreme congestion
7. Any rash not diagnosed by a physician
8. Earache – with or without drainage
9. Head lice

Do not send your child back to school until:

1. Temperature is normal without fever reducing medicine for 24 hours
2. No vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours
3. On antibiotics for 24 hours for bacterial infection
4. Breathing is comfortable without medication
5. A note is received from the doctor stating that your child’s rash is not contagious
6. Cough does not interfere with school functioning and your child is able to cover his/her mouth and nose when coughing