Attendance
Attendance FAQ
How do I get perfect attendance?
If a student misses a class, the student will not be considered to have perfect attendance regardless of the time they check out.
What is an excused absence?
Excused absences include: personal illness, death or serious illness in the immediate family, family military leave, religious holidays, weather conditions that create health and safety hazards for students, administratively approved absences, court ordered or when mandated by government agencies, and to serve as a page for the Georgia Assembly.
How do I document an excused absence?
Students who are absent from school for excused reasons may have up to a maximum of five (5) absences per semester excused by providing a written excuse stating the reason for the absence and signed by the parent or guardian. Additional written parent excuses beyond five (5) will be marked as an unexcused absence. Any absences beyond five (5) per semester must be accompanied by medical documentation from a healthcare provider in order to have the absence validated as excused. In the event that funeral/bereavement leave causes a student to miss more than (5) days per semester, a copy of the obituary or verification of funeral attendance shall be submitted. All excuses should be submitted within three (3) days of return to school. The excuse must note the reason for the absence. A student cannot excuse his or her own absence. Excuses received after the third day back to school may not be accepted, and the absence may be considered unexcused.
What are the consequences of unexcused absences?
At three (3) unexcused absences, the school will make documented contact with the parent or guardian informing them of the attendance policy and the total number of absences.
At five (5) unexcused absences, the school will send a letter to the parent or guardian informing them of the attendance policy and the total number of absences. The student may not be eligible to attend field trips and/or participate in extra-curricular activities. If a student accumulates five (5) unexcused absences within a given semester, they will not be eligible for field trips or extra-curricular activities including sports during that semester.
At ten (10) unexcused absences, the school will send a notice to the parent or guardian informing them of the attendance policy, number of absences, and inviting them to a mandatory attendance support team meeting. At the meeting, an attendance contract will be agreed upon. The student will also be referred to the Department of Family and Children Services.
Beyond ten (10) unexcused absences, the parent shall be referred by the school to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
What about COVID-19?
Please refer to the 2022-2023 COVID-19 protocols for the Lincoln County School System.