Scholars are expected to attend school daily; attendance will be recorded in all classes in accordance to state law, Regulation R43-274 Scholar Attendance. In the event of an absence it is the scholar’s responsibility to provide an excuse upon returning to school. All excuses should be submitted to the secretary in the main office prior to the start of the school day within five days of returning from the absence.  
 
Scholars 16 and under who accumulate three consecutive unlawful absences or a total of five unlawful absences will be considered truant.  Parents/guardians and scholars will be contacted to develop a written Attendance Intervention Plan.  Failure to participate and/or adhere to the plan will result in a referral to the District Attendance Office and/or Family Court.  
 
The school district defines lawful and unlawful absences as those where: 

Lawful:

1. The scholar is ill and attendance at the school would endanger the scholar’s health or others.  

2. There is a death in the scholar’s immediate family (three absences per occurrence).

3. There is a serious illness in the scholar’s immediate family.  Absences of this nature should not exceed three per year.

4. There is a recognized religious holiday of the scholar’s faith.

5. There is an emergency and/or extreme hardships at the discretion of the principal.

Unlawful:

1. The scholar is willfully absent from school with or without the knowledge of his/her parents.

2. The scholar is absent and fails to turn in an acceptable note within 5 days of the scholar’s return from an illness.

3. The scholar accumulates more than 10 absences and a medical note is not received.

4. Absences without any documentation.

 Scholars should adhere to the following procedures in the event of any absence:

1. If possible, notify the faculty member and ASA secretary of absence prior to occurrence in person or via email. If an extended absence is anticipated, inform the school immediately.

2. Provide written documentation to ASA as to the nature of the absence upon return (within 5 days) for appropriate coding in PowerSchool.

3. Communicate with the faculty member in regards to missed instruction and necessary make up work.

4. Adhere to the late work/make up work policy for ASA.

5. Adhere to all policies designated by USC Aiken professors on the course syllabus.

Denial of Credit

Scholars who fail to meet the minimum attendance requirements outlined by the State Department of Education may not receive credit for the class(es) in which requirements were not met. Credit is not denied automatically. Scholars with attendance problems will receive written notification and be called for a conference where an Attendance Intervention Plan will be initiated. Scholars with attendance concerns should continue to attend class regularly until an appointment with the principal to verify credit status.  

Instructional Period                  Required Credit            Minimum Days Attendance

Quarter (45 days)                                     ½                          40 (5 Absences allowed)

Semester (90 days)                                  1                          80 (10 Absences allowed)

For a complete review of ACPSD Attendance policies, please refer to the ACPSD High School Code of Conduct. 

Scholars are expected to arrive to school and all classes on time. If a scholar is late to school or class, he/she should sign in with the secretary at the main office to obtain a pass and then report directly to class. Once in class, scholars should sign the In/Out book indicating the time they arrived to class, report to their seat, and get into the lesson. Tardy scholars should not engage the teacher upon entering the classroom. At the end of class, tardy scholars may speak with the teacher regarding the tardy. Teachers will enter all tardy attendance in PowerSchool and discipline referrals for tardies in ABE. Teachers will not allow scholars in to their classroom without a pass.  

Lawful Tardies to School: In order for a tardy to be excused written documentation must be provided upon arrival to school. 

1. Illness on part of the scholar with written medical excuse 

2. Emergency and/or hardships at the discretion of the principal 

3. Medical or court appointment 

4. Late bus arrival 

5. Teacher, Guidance or Administrator Conference 

Unlawful Tardies to School: Three written parent excuses for any reason or combination of reasons will be accepted per semester. Any additional excuses must be official written medical excuses etc. or will be considered unlawful. 

1. Illness on part of the scholar without a written medical excuse 

2. Oversleeping, traffic, carpool trouble or other “personal reasons” 

3. Missed Bus 

4. Car trouble 

Unexcused/Unlawful tardies are considered a violation of the CSAL in that instruction time is missed.  Unexcused tardies and unlawful absences from individual classes will be addressed in an Attendance Intervention Plan and may result in a referral to the District Attendance Office or Family Court. 

All arrivals after the start of classes and prior to the close of the day must go through the main office. Scholars who need to leave school early or temporarily must be signed out in the main office in person by a parent or a person empowered by the parent on the scholar's registration card – if the person is not on the registration card, the school cannot contact them. Scholars with an appointment, who have a parent’s permission to drive from school to the appointment, must bring a note to school secretary first thing signed by the parent with a contact phone number.  
 
All attendance requirements pertain to all scholars regardless of age, unless the scholar is emancipated and the school has documentation on file. Parent letters requesting routine dismissals will not be accepted or approved by administration.