This attendance information is now included in the handbooks for all students of the Anna Local Schools.
Handbook Attendance for the Anna Local Schools beginning 2023-2024
An excused absence will generally be granted for valid and necessary reasons with a note from a parent/guardian up to a maximum number of 32.5 hours (5 days) per semester. Beyond this five day limit, administration will require official documentation for any absence (doctor’s statement, court summons, funeral service, etc.) Only 32.5 hours (5 days) per semester will be considered excused with a parent note. The sixth parent note will be considered unexcused. One family vacation (for up to five days or 32.5 hours) will be approved per school year and will not count toward the above totals.
Middle/High School Students Only (per nine weeks):
Unexcused absence: On the third unexcused absence students will be issued an after school detention. Fourth: students will be issued a Saturday school and a parent conference with the principal to develop a plan for attending school each day on time.
Unexcused Tardies: will be kept by the office and tardy to class will be kept by the teachers. The consequences are as follows (This applied to both class tardiness and school tardies):
One: Tardy No Consequences
Second:Tardy No Consequences
Third: Tardy Detention assigned
Fourth: Tardy Detention assigned
Fifth: Tardy Saturday School assigned
Additional tardies: Referral to the principal for disciplinary action/ plan
This is for each nine weeks grading period. Students are expected to be in the classroom, and not in the halls, when the bell sounds to begin the period.
Absence Intervention Team
To the extent required by law as determined on an annual basis, within ten (10) days of a student becoming habitually truant, the Principal shall assign the student to an absence intervention team.
Within fourteen (14) school days after the assignment of a student to an absence intervention team, the team shall develop an intervention plan for that student in an effort to reduce or eliminate further absences. Each intervention plan shall vary based on the individual needs of the student, but the plan shall state that the attendance officer shall file a complaint not later than sixty-one (61) days after the date the plan was implemented, if the child has refused to participate in, or failed to make satisfactory progress on, the intervention plan. Within seven (7) school days after the development of the plan, reasonable efforts shall be made to provide the student's parent/guardian/custodian, with written notice of the plan.
As part of the absence intervention plan, the Principal may, in his/her discretion contact the appropriate juvenile court and ask to have a student informally enrolled in any alternative to adjudication described in R.C. 2151.27(G).
Ohio Attendance Requirements (previously commonly referred to as Truancy)
Excessive Absences
When a student of compulsory school age is absent from school with combined nonmedical excused absences and unexcused absences in excess of thirty-eight (38) or more hours in one (1) school month, or sixty-five (65) or more hours in a school year, that student is considered "excessively absent" from school. The District or school shall notify the child's parent or guardian of the child's absences, in writing, within seven (7) school days after the date of the absence that triggered the notice requirement. At the same time, written notice is given, any appropriate intervention action listed herein may be taken.
The following “medical excuses” will not count toward a student’s excessive absence hours: 1) personal illness; 2) illness in the family necessitating the presence of the child; 3) quarantine of the home; 4) health care provider appointments (doctor, dentist, mental health provider, etc.); 5) medically-necessary leave for a pregnant student in accordance with Policy 5751; 6) death in the family; or 7) other set of circumstances the Superintendent deems on a case-by-case basis to be a good and sufficient cause for medical absence from school.
A medically excused absence occurs any time a student is out of school due to illness or medical visit (physician, dentist, mental health, etc.). A medical excuse for personal illness will be accepted in the form of doctor’s note within five (5) school days of the absence or parent call-in on the day of the absence due to illness or doctor’s visit. A student may have up to ten (10) medically excused absences without a doctor’s note, but with a phone call from a parent/guardian. This policy will be extended beyond ten (10) days if the student or someone in the student’s family is in quarantine due to recognized pandemic/epidemic (e.g., COVID-19) or experiencing symptoms of the pandemic/epidemic.
Habitually Truant
A student will be considered habitually truant if the student is of compulsory school age and absent without a legitimate excuse for thirty (30) or more consecutive hours, forty-two (42) or more hours in one (1) school month, for seventy-two (72) or more hours in one (1) school year.
Legitimate excuses for the absence of a student who is otherwise habitually truant include but are not limited to:
the student was enrolled in another school district;
the student was excused from attendance in accordance with R.C 3321.04; or
the student has received an age and schooling certificate.
If you have any questions please contact your child's building principal.