Required Attendance

Regular attendance at school is essential to learning and to the building of community.  Students are expected at school on all days except those actually designated as holidays.  Absences are excused for illness, death of a significant person or a school-related activity.  Except in very unusual circumstances, absences for family trips are unexcused.  Attendance at school is required the day before and after a holiday and on community days:  Unity Day, Field Day, Class Retreat, Thanksgiving Liturgy, Feast Wishes, and Prize Day.  Illness or a death in the family are the only excuses recognized for missing these days.  Students who are absent on special school days must bring in a written doctor's note (from other than a parent physician) confirming illness.  Without this note a make-up day may be assigned. 

Notification of Absence

Parents are asked to notify the school between 8:00 A.M. and 8:30 A.M. when a student is absent; otherwise, the school will telephone parents.  If a school absence can be anticipated, a note signed by the parent must be brought to the Head of the Upper School at least 24 hours prior to the anticipated absence.  When returning to school after an absence, the student must present a written note, signed by a parent, to the Upper School Assistant before being admitted to class.  In addition, a doctor's note (from other that a parent physician) must be presented for absences lasting more than two days.

Prearranged Absences

Students must see the Head of the Upper School for any pre-arranged absences. Only the Head may excuse an absence.  The Athletic Director will inform the Upper School Office and Faculty of upcoming team absences for athletic events.  Students are responsible for making arrangements for work missed.

College Visits

Juniors and seniors are encouraged to visit the colleges to which they have applied; however, specific guidelines and procedures apply.

·         Students are urged to make their college visits during regular school holidays. College visits which extend vacations are not excused absences.

·         Students must obtain a College Visitation Permission Slip from the counseling office and submit this form for teacher approval at least three days prior to a college visit.

·         Students must submit this form, once completed, to the Head of the Upper School at least two days prior to the college visit. 

·         Juniors are allowed a maximum of three absences, and seniors are allowed a maximum of five absences per school year for college visits.

·         On the day prior to departure, students must check with their teachers for assignments.

·         Upon return from a college visit, all assignments must be completed and tests prepared for and immediately taken.

·         If the proper procedure for going on a college visit is not followed, the student may receive an after-school detention.

Absence from Class for College Meetings

A student who wishes to attend a college meeting during class time must request an excused absence from her teacher ahead of time.  Forms for this procedure are located in the office.  Students may not miss a test in order to attend a college meeting.  Conflicts will be resolved by the Director of College Placement.

Excessive Absences

A student who accumulates five or more absences from any class during a quarter places her credit in jeopardy. In such cases, the appropriate faculty and the Upper School Head will review the circumstances to determine if the student must petition for credit. The student's academic performance, attendance history, and responsibility in making up work are taken into consideration.

A student who is absent from Physical Education classes beyond a two-week period needs to submit a medical statement from her doctor.  This letter must indicate the reason she should be released from physical activity, and indicate when she will be allowed to resume activity.  This letter must also indicate any medical restriction on her continued participation in physical education classes and/or athletic competition.  The student will continue to dress out and attend physical education classes.  Record of a yearly physical examination is necessary before a student may compete on an athletic team.

Seniors' Last Day

Seniors are not excused from attendance in May until all obligations are met to the satisfaction of the Dean of Students.

Senior Exam Exemptions and Absences

Seniors with an 88 or above average for the spring semester in a year long course may be exempted from the final exam in that course in May.  Seniors with an 85 or above for spring semester in a year long AP course may be exempted from the final exam in that course in May. However, to be eligible for a May exam exemption in a given class, a senior may not have more than five absences in the class (apart from school events) during the fall semester or more than five absences in the class (apart from school events) during the spring semester.

Make-up Work

In the interest of fairness to all students, the Upper School faculty have adopted the following guidelines for making up work following an absence from school:

·         A student is responsible for contacting her teachers on the day she returns in order to make arrangements for making up her tests and assignments 

·         In the case of an unexpected excused absence the day of a test the student must take make-up test(s) within three days of returning to school.  After the third day the test or assignment must be completed, but the maximum grade given will be 75% of the original grade given.  Recurrent absences on testing days will be reviewed by the Head of School.

·         In the case of an excused absence of two or three days, the student must make arrangements with the teacher to make up tests within one week of the student's return to school or at the teacher's discretion.

·         If a student is absent four or more days, she must make special arrangements with the teacher.  The test make-up time is not to exceed two weeks.  The time to make up tests and major assignments missed during an extended illness will be dealt with on an individual basis.

·         Tests missed because of athletic trips, college trips or field trips must be made up the following day or at the discretion of the teacher.

·         Unexcused absences:  Students who miss a test or major assignment and are unexcused from school must make up the work within three (3) school days and only may receive a maximum grade of 75% of the original grade given.

·         If tests or major assignments are not made up, the student has not fulfilled the course requirements.  She will receive an incomplete until the tests are made up, and she may receive a maximum grade of 75 at the end of the grading period.  If tests and major assignments are not completed, she will receive an "F" for the course.  (Special arrangements may be made for students who have had a major illness, surgery or unusual mitigating circumstances.)

Tardiness

Students must be on time for morning assembly and for classes.  Each student should be organized and in place by 7:55 A.M.  A student is late if she arrives after 7:55 A.M. The only excuses accepted are illness or acts of God (severe weather, etc.).  Students who arrive late to school will be given two warnings only for the entire year.  After that, a student who arrives late will be assigned a detention.  Upon arrival a late student must sign in at the office first, and then go on to assembly and check in with her advisor.  If she fails to notify the office or the advisor that she has arrived, she will be marked.

Early Dismissal

Withdrawals prior to dismissal time, even for medical appointments, are strongly discouraged.  However, if a student must be dismissed early for any reason, a parent must notify the Upper School Assistant by note, email, or phone call before first period. Notification must include the date, the reason for, and the time of dismissal. Students who leave early must sign out in the Upper School Office.  In addition, an adult picking up a student for early dismissal must come to the office and sign out the student.  Leaving school without permission and cutting classes are serious offenses.  In such cases, the parents will be notified, and the offense will be dealt with appropriately

Medical Appointments

In addition to the above, a student who visits the doctor or dentist during school hours needs to bring a note from the professional verifying the time she was at the doctor or dentist's office.  Failure to present the required doctor's slip will result in an unexcused absence for that period of time.