Saraland Elementary School

One of the most important things a parent or guardian can do for their child is ensure they are in school on time every day. It is key to their learning, success in school, and ultimately success in life. Saraland City School System maintains an attendance and truancy policy, which were written in accordance with Alabama State Board of Education Administrative Code, and §16-28-1 et seq., Code of Alabama (1975). 

If you have any other questions, please contact the principal or Mrs. Lou Schambeau, Attendance Officer, at 251.375.5420 or lschambeau@saralandboe.org.

ATTENDANCE

• Students between the ages of six (6) and seventeen (17) shall be required to attend a public school, private school, church school or to be instructed by a competent private tutor for the entire length of the school year.

• A school day is defined as the starting and ending time of the entire day.

• Students must be in attendance one-half of the instructional day to be counted present. The parent or guardian must send a written note if the student is checked out prior to completing one-half of the instructional day. In grades 6-12, attendance is recorded each period/block. In grades 9-12, excessive absences in a block may result in loss of credit.

• Checkouts should be conducted through the main office no later than 2:15pm for middle / high school students or 2:30pm for early ed / elementary school students.

• Students are required to be on time for school.

• Late arrivals should report to the main office to check in.

• Any missed school will be categorized as an excused absence, excused tardy, unexcused absence, or unexcused tardy.

• Excessive absences will subject a student, parent or guardian to truancy policies and procedures.

TARDINESS

Being late to school or checking out of school is excused or unexcused for the same reasons as absences. A student is considered tardy if he/she is not in class when the tardy bell rings. Any student who arrives after school has begun must report to the office to check in. Habitual tardiness greatly affects a child’s progress in school.

In grades K-5, administrative conferences will be scheduled with parents of students with excessive tardies in order to develop a corrective plan of action.

ABSENCES

Absences are excused for the following reasons:

• Illness

• Death in immediate family

• Inclement weather which would be dangerous to the life and health of the child as determined by the principal

• Legal quarantine

• Emergency conditions as determined by the principal

• Administrative Approval – requires prior permission of the principal upon request of the parent or guardian

• A chronic ailment that may cause the student to miss school. A doctor’s statement is required to verify the student’s condition. At the beginning of each school year, a new chronic ailment statement from the doctor must be provided. A parent or guardian note is still required for any chronic ailment absence.

• Head lice – students should return to school as soon as possible once cleared of lice and nits. A maximum of three (3) days are excused for each occurrence of head lice.

Students in grades K-8 are allowed up to ten (10) excused absences per year with a written statement from a parent or guardian. The excuse shall state the reason for the absence, the date of the absence(s), and have a parent/guardian signature. When a parent or guardian has exhausted ten (10) parent notes, all future absences will require a written excuse from a medical physician or clinician to be coded as excused.

Absences that do not fall under one of the “excused absence” categories are deemed unexcused. The following are also deemed unexcused:

• Failure to send a note within three (3) days of the absence upon returning to school.

• Failure to secure prior approval from the principal for administrative approved absences.

• Failure to secure prior permission from the principal for out-of-town trips.

• Failure to provide a medical/clinical excuse after a student has accumulated ten (10) parent notes for the year.

MAKE-UP WORK FOR EXCUSED ABSENCES

If a student is absent for any excused reason as previously defined, the student will be allowed to make up work through the following guidelines:

• The principal/teacher(s) will consider the type of illness, the length of the time absent, and the amount of make-up work due.

• The parent/student will be responsible for contacting the teacher(s), counselor, or front office staff to arrange make-up work.

• For extenuating circumstances, special consideration may be given at the discretion of the principal.

MAKE-UP WORK FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

If a student is absent for any unexcused reason as defined above, the student will be allowed to make up work at the discretion of the principal.