TRUANCY ELIMINATION e School Plus System The District

TRUANCY ELIMINATION

e. School Plus System The District uses the ESchool Plus management system to manage attendance records throughout the District. Mr. Peter Velocci, Data Systems Manager is responsible for providing attendance reports to each school in the District.

Policy & Regulations The District has a Policy and regulations that coincide with state regulations concerning attendance. Teachers are responsible for inputting the daily attendance of each student in their class. At the high school level, each teacher takes attendance period by period which is reflected in the student’s attendance profile.

School Responsibility Each school has one person responsible for overseeing the collection of excused note cards that students must provide within 3 school days from the day they were absent. Absences without an excused note will be recorded as unexcused.

Data Mr. Peter Velocci is responsible for providing each school principal, guidance counselor, attendance secretary and Director of Pupil Services with a weekly emailed list of students with unexcused absences. We look for students who have accumulated 3 or more unexcused absences which triggers the appropriate “First Notice” letter to the parents. (Sent by School Secretary)

Once a student accumulates 6 or more unexcused absences a second letter is sent to the parent and student, and a request is made to attend a “Truancy Elimination Plan” meeting. At this meeting the guidance counselor will work with the family to create a contract for the student to improve his attendance record and goals are set.

Once a student goes beyond 6 unexcused absence, the District can opt to submit a non -traffic citation to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas. The Court will then conduct a hearing with the student, parent, and school administrator.

Office of Children & Youth The School District also has the option of contacting the Office of Children and Youth Truancy Unit if a student has been truant for at least 10 -15 days with information OCY will determine if the referral is appropriate to be set up formal family assessment.

Lakeside Mainstay The School District also works with the Mainstay Program through The Lakeside Educational Network. The Mainstay Program offers many programs to help students transition back to the regular school program.

Child Find The School District also takes into consideration whether a student with excessive absence should be considered as a child find issue and therefore needs to be evaluated. The District will discuss within their Child Study team whether the reasons for nonattendance can be linked to emotional issues.

Data Dissemination The most important aspect of this process is the ability of Peter Velocci to provide each school with accurate attendance information that keeps staff updated as to the status of their students. All principals and guidance counselors are aware of the attendance status of each student on a weekly basis.