REPORT AN ABSENCE
Reporting Absences
It is important that we hear from you if your student will be arriving more than 15 minutes late to school, absent an entire day, or leaving early from school. Failure to report such attendance related information within 72 hours of the absence date, will result in the student being Truant (unexcused and absent).
Choose one of the following methods to report an absence:
- Online Absence Reporting Form
- Absence Voicemail Box: 734.401.4387
Leave a clear and detailed message that includes: Student First & Last Name, Date of Absence, Reason for Absence, Name of the Person Reporting the Absence
Please note: If there is specific information that our teaching, counseling or nursing staff need to be aware of, please be sure to communicate with them.
Medically Excused Absences (M)
Report each absence using one of the methods noted above. Absences due to medical appointments or reasons, when accompanied by a doctor's note, will be adjusted in PowerSchool to (M) for medically excused once a doctor’s note has been submitted. Students may submit a hard copy of medical notes/dental notes to the High School Attendance desk or upload a copy using the Medical Note Submission Form. Students are awarded the same number of days they were absent to make up missed assignments, providing the absence(s) are excused
Attendance Matters
Click here to review more detailed information about our attendance policy, attendance codes and reporting absences.
Michigan law requires that whoever has custody or charge of any child between ages 6 and 18 (unless the child has already completed high school graduation requirements) shall assure that the child attends public school during the entire school year. Michigan law requires that the student's attendance be continuous and consecutive for the school year fixed by the school district. (MCL 380.1561)
Excessive absenteeism from school, except for reasons of medical impairment or any similarly excusable condition, shall be considered truancy and/or educational neglect. Such instances will be referred to Truancy Interventions through Washtenaw County for additional support.
Truancy and Chronically Absent:
Students, Parents/Guardians and School Administrators shall regularly monitor attendance records for signs of Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy.
Chronically Absent: When a student is absent for 10% of total school year for any reason, including excused absences. Students are considered chronically absent when any one or more of the following occur:
- missing 3 days of school in first month of the year
- missing 7-8 days of school in the first half of the year
- missing 18 or more days in the entire school year
Truant: When a student has 10 or more unexcused absences (U) at any point in the year. Truancy will be reported to the Washtenaw County Truancy Interventions Team for additional support.
Questions?
Jen Barnard
Dean of Students
734.401.4260
barnardj@salineschools.org