Settles Bridge Elementary Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is essential to success in school. As permitted under the Georgia compulsory education law and Forsyth County Board of Education policy, students may be excused for the following reasons:

1.    Personal illness or attendance in school that endangers a student’s health or the health of others.

2.    A serious illness or death in a student’s immediate family necessitating absence from school.

3.    A court order or an order by a governmental agency, including pre-induction physical examinations for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school.

4.    The observance of religious holidays, necessitating absence from school.

5.    Conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety.

6.    A scheduled medical, dental or eye examination of the student.

7.    Registering to vote or voting.

8.    Visiting with a parent or legal guardian who is in the military service in the armed forces and has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support post.  The student may be excused for a maximum of 5 days per school year. 

Non-school related activities and vacations are considered unexcused.

Student Absence

Students must submit a note or parents must fax or e-mail the attendance office within five (5) calendar days for the student’s absence to be considered excused. Attendance Fax Number: 770.887.7383 or Attendance e-mail: mfowler3@forsyth.k12.ga.us.The parent/guardian must write the note, fax or e-mail stating the student’s name, the date(s) of absence(s), and the reason for the absence. If the student has missed four (4) consecutive days, then a doctor’s note may be required at the discretion of the administration. In case of extended illness, hospitalization, or injury, the parent should apply for hospital homebound service.  Hospital homebound service should be applied for immediately when absences of ten (10) days or more are anticipated for the student.

Consequences

If a student has excessive absences, early check-outs, and/or late check-ins, the student and/or the parent may be referred to the School Social Worker, Juvenile Court, State Court, and/or Department of Family and Children Services. A parent/guardian who violates the compulsory education law shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine not less than $25.00 and not greater than $100.00, imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, community service, or any combination of such penalties at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction.  Each day’s absence from school is considered a violation.

Make-up Work

It is the student’s responsibility to turn in make-up work, when he/she is absent from school.  The student has five (5) calendar days to make-up work.  The teacher has the discretion to grant a longer period to make up work if there are extenuating circumstances.

Late Check-in or Early Check-out

When possible, medical and dental appointments should be made outside of school hours. If a student is being checked in or checked out for a doctor’s appointment, a physician’s note or appointment card is required to be considered excused.

Parents must sign their child in upon late arrival.  An unexcused late check-in or early check-out is defined as any time a student arrives late to school or leaves school for a reason other than those defined by the State Board of Education as an excused absence.  A combination of three unexcused tardies and early check-outs will be considered one unexcused absence.