Travel During December 

Each year we receive inquiries from families regarding travel and absences during the month of December. Please note that traveling is not an excused absence from school. Students who accumulate 10 or more consecutive unexcused absences will be withdrawn from school. Following withdrawal, we cannot guarantee that your child will have the same classes and teachers when they are re-enrolled. Please direct any attendance related questions to Ms. Lisa Garcia at lgarcia@forsyth.k12.ga.us. Please take a moment to review FCS Board Policy related to excused absences and parent/guardian responsibilities posted below. We cannot excuse an absence outside of these guidelines.

Excused Absences

Excused absences are those designated by state law, State Board of Education policy, and Forsyth County School Board 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 their immediate family necessitates 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, for a period not to exceed one day,
8. Visiting a parent or legal guardian who is in the military service in the armed forces and has been called to duty 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.

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the parent / guardian to notify the school in writing of the date and reason for the absence within 5 school days of the absence. The parent / guardian must note the student’s name, the date(s) of absence(s), and the reason for the absence. 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. Students with excessive absences may be required to present a note from a doctor or the Health Department to be considered excused.

Exam Make-ups

If a student misses a summative or midterm due to an absence at the end of the semester, the student will receive an incomplete in that course and will have an opportunity to make it up in January. The make-up day will be January 3rd at 9am.  If a student is unable to attend the January 3^rd make-up day, one final make-up day will be offered on January 9th at 4:30pm.