Attendance Fax Number: (770) 888-1214
Attendance e-mail: OMSAttendance@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Attendance Policy

Daily Attendance:

Daily 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 arm-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:

The parent(s)/ guardian(s) should contact the school office by 10:00 a.m. to report the student's absence. The parent(s)/ guardian(s) must submit a note, fax, or e-mail to the attendance clerk within five (5) calendar days for the student ‘s absence to be considered excused . The note, fax, or e-mail should contain the following information:

(1)student’s name,
(2) date(s) of absence(s), and
(3) reason for the absence.

The principal may require students to present appropriate medical or other documentation upon return to school for the purpose of validating that absences are excused.

Attendance Fax Number: (770) 888-1214
Attendance e-mail:  OMSAttendance@forsyth.k12.ga.us

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.

Any student who has ten or more school days of unexcused absences in the current academic year or ten or more school days of unexcused absences in the previous academic year will be subject to the rules of O.C.G.A. 40-5-22, school attendance and motor vehicle licenses law. In order to be eligible for a license, a student must satisfy the attendance requirements noted above for a period of one academic year prior to the application for an instruction permit or driver’s license. The instruction permit or driver’s license will be revoked for a period of one year, if a student has ten or more school days of unexcused absences in an academic year. Charges may also be filed in Juvenile Court on students who do not comply with the compulsory education law.

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.

A parent/ guardian must sign in child upon arriving late or sign-out their child upon leaving early from school. A tardy check-in is defined as anytime a student arrives after the beginning of the school day. An early check-out is defined as anytime a student with parental permission leaves prior to the end of the school day.

Forsyth County Board of Education policy states that a combination of 3 unexcused tardy check-ins or early check-outs will be considered one unexcused absence. An unexcused tardy would be documented for any reason not recognized by the Georgia Compulsory Attendance Law and Forsyth County Board Policy as stated above.

Make-Up Work:

It is student’s responsibility to turn-in make-up work after being absent. Parents and students are encouraged to read the weekly team newsletter or teacher’s webpage, send an email or leave a voice mail for the teacher, or contact a friend. Please call the school number (770-887-5248), and listen to the prompts to reach a teacher’s voice mail.

The student has five (5) calendar days to make-up work for excused absences, unless the teacher grants an extension. Makeup work due to unexcused absences will be outlined in the teacher or team syllabus.

Students who are absent from school for the entire day or the last half of the day may not attend after-school events for that day. This includes practice sessions, games, performances, dances, club meetings, etc.