The BASD works closely with families to promote healthy attendance and prompt arrival to school. It is the procedure of the BASD to notify parents/guardians of absences and also to explain the school policy governing attendance at school. With the best interest of the student in mind, it is imperative that students attend school regularly in order to benefit from a formal education.
On a typical day:
Students who arrive after 9:05 am & before 10:35 am will be marked tardy.
Arrivals after 10:35 am and before 2:05 pm will be marked absent for the AM session.
Early dismissals before 2:05 pm will be marked absent for the PM session.
Early dismissals after 2:05 pm and before 3:40 pm will be marked as an early dismissal.
Arrivals after 2:05 pm will be marked absent for the day.
On a 2-hour delay day:
Students who arrive after 11:05 am & before 12:35 pm will be marked tardy.
Arrivals after 12:35 pm and before 2:05 pm will be marked absent for the AM session.
Early dismissals before 2:05 pm will be marked absent for the PM session.
Early dismissals after 2:05 pm and before 3:40 will be marked as an early dismissal.
Arrivals after 2:05 pm will be marked absent for the day.
The rules and regulations governing attendance are as follows:
Upon obtaining three (3) unexcused absences, within (10) school days of the third unexcused absences, the school will notify the parent/guardian that the child has been truant. The school may include, with this notice, an invitation for the parent/guardian to participate in a student attendance improvement conference.
Upon obtaining six (6) unexcused absences, within ten (10) school days of the sixth unexcused absence, the school will offer the student and parent/ guardian a student attendance improvement conference and make a referral to Beaver County Truancy Intervention Program. The school will hold a student attendance improvement conference, if one has not already been held. Once this conference has been held and a student attendance improvement plan has been created, the school may file a citation against the parent or student in the office or the appropriate judge if the student continues to be truant.
Upon ten (10) days of excused absence from school, a letter will be sent to the parents/guardians of a student. This letter is to inform the parent/guardian of the BASD attendance policy.
Upon twenty (20) days of excused absence from school, a second letter will be sent to the parents/guardians of a student. This letter will inform the parent that any absence after twenty (20) days must be accompanied by a doctor’s statement, or it will be identified as unexcused.
An excuse must be turned in using the Beaver Elementary Schools Absence Excuse Form for all absences, even if you have notified the child’s teacher and/or the secretaries in the school’s main office. Any excuse not received within three (3) days of the absence will be recorded as an unexcused absence.
Excessive absences or tardies will result in a Truancy Intervention Program (TIP) meeting with school staff and Beaver County Truancy Intervention Program staff.
While we discourage parents from sending sick children to school, this policy is designed to encourage better overall attendance in order that your child receive the best education possible. If the school feels that a parent/guardian has been negligent in following the attendance policy, the office will enforce the above procedure. It is important that every child attends school on a regular basis and arrives at school at the appropriate time. Under state law, it is the parent’s legal responsibility to see that the child’s attendance at school is assured. Even when the child may be tardy, it is better to come to school late, rather than not at all.
Excused absences according to The State of Pennsylvania include:
• Illness and health-related problems
• Quarantine
• Therapy
• Impassable roads
• Death in the immediate family
• Approved educational trips
• Appearance in court
• Weather that might endanger the child’s health
• Religious instruction (up to 36 hours per school year)
• Observance of religious days or holidays
• Exceptionally urgent reasons such as affect the child and ordinarily do not
include work at home
An unexcused absence is the absence of a pupil for one of the following reasons:
• Absence through parent neglect
• Truancy
Family Trips
Parents are required to complete a form of written request to have a student excused from school to participate in an educational trip. Parents should make arrangements with their child’s teacher for assignments, if the teacher deems it necessary, during absences and trips. Students on educational trips with family will be marked Excused in our attendance records, if the form is submitted and approved.