Absences, Grades, Discipline

(MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS)

The Emanuel County Board of Education recognizes that student attendance, grades, and discipline are of primary importance. Students with excessive absences, poor grades, and discipline problems are forfeiting a valuable degree of their total education experiences. In an attempt to improve attendance, academic achievement, and overall discipline at the middle and high schools, the following procedures shall be followed for students in grades six through twelve:

High School Students shall have the privilege of driving automobiles to school and may be issued a parking permit if they qualify under existing procedures (i.e. parental consent, licensed, and properly insured).
To be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities (i.e., clubs, pageants, field trips), middle and high school students must:

Earn a 70% or higher in ¾ or 75% of their classes at the end of each nine-weeks’ grading period
Have less than six (6) unexcused school day absences in a 9 weeks grading period. For the purposes of this eligibility, a student is considered present at school for a full day if they are present ¾ or 75% of their classes.
Have four or less discipline referrals in a nine-weeks’ grading period

Students who do not meet the above criteria shall lose their opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities during the following nine weeks grading period. Middle school athletics will follow high school guidance of eligibility changing at the semester. Students with good attendance, good grades, and good discipline shall be allowed to regain their privileges to participate in extracurricular activities.

For students attending school for only a portion of the year, absences, grade point averages, and discipline referrals will be appropriately prorated for the time enrolled in school when making an eligibility determination.

MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC (GHSA) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Students gain eligibility to practice or compete in the Emanuel County middle school or high school in which they are enrolled after they have been certified by the principal of that school, after the eligibility forms have been processed by the GHSA office (if applicable), and after the students have met the standards of:

Academic requirements
Age
Semester in high school
Residence in the school’s service area
Georgia High School Association transfer rules (if applicable)
Annual physical examination

SPECIFIC ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS

To be eligible to participate, practice, and/or try out in interscholastic activities, a student must be academically eligible. First year students (entering 6th or 9th grade) are eligible academically. To be considered eligible for athletics, a student must:

Earn a 70% or higher in three (3) of four (4) at the end of 1st Semester
Yearlong final grades will be used for 2nd Semester reporting
Have less than six (6) unexcused school day absences in a 9 weeks grading period. For the purposes of eligibility, a student is considered present at school for a full day if they are present ¾ or 75% of the school day.
Have four or less discipline referrals in a nine-weeks’ grading period

The grade reported to GHSA (high school) for the spring semester will be the yearlong grade. Athletic academic eligibility lasts for one semester and must be reviewed after each and every semester. The Athletic Director at each high school will submit eligibility reports each semester to the Georgia High School Association. Each school principal is required to provide and monitor the school’s ineligibility list for attendance and discipline each nine-weeks grading period.

GHSA ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS

Three (3) units passed the previous semester

Five (5) high school credits after 1st year

Eleven (11) high school credits after 2nd year

Seventeen (17) high school credits after 3rd year

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES - SENIOR PRIVILEGE PERIOD

Rising seniors who have met the eligibility requirements at the end of the first semester of their senior year may be eligible to be exempt from either the first or the last period of their four block schedule during their senior year (Senior Privilege Period). Students will not be allowed to remain on campus during the Senior Privilege Period; therefore, personal transportation is required. This privilege is earned during the first semester of the senior year and may be lost if the student fails to follow school rules and Senior Privilege Period guidelines. To be considered for this exemption, a student must:

Have earned the minimum credits to be on track for graduation (at least 25 of the 28 required units of credit) as required by the local system’s policy.
Have less than five (5) unexcused school day absences in a 9 weeks grading period. For the purposes of eligibility, a student is considered present at school for a full day if they are present ¾ (75%) of the school day.
Have four or less discipline referrals in the previous nine-weeks grading period

Seniors may have their Senior Privilege Period revoked at the principal’s discretion for violation of rules within the Emanuel County School System Code of Conduct. Parent permission is required for student to participate.

Additional Guidelines

Students, and their custodial parent(s) or guardians, are ultimately responsible for attendance and absences; however, school officials may attempt to contact, notify and inform custodial parent(s) or guardians of students who have unusual patterns of absences in any class, for any reason, during a nine-week grading period. Under no circumstances is it acceptable for a student to falsify their attendance records.

Pre-K students will follow the attendance guidelines provided by Bright from the Start. According to Bright from the Start guidelines, Pre-K students that are absent for ten (10) consecutive days may be dropped from the program.

LATE ARRIVAL/EARLY DEPARTURE PROCEDURES

For unexcused late arrivals to school and unexcused early departures from school, the following procedures will apply:

Students who have a total of five (5) yearly cumulative unexcused late arrivals and/or early departures from school will be considered in violation of the Compulsory School Attendance Law and a notice may be sent home regarding violation of this law. Excuses for tardies/early departures shall be accepted for the following reasons:

Personal illness and whose attendance may be detrimental to the health of themselves or others
Illness or death in the immediate family
Special and recognized religious holidays. Mandated by the order of a government agency (such as jury duty or physical exam for armed services)
Serving as Page to the Georgia General Assembly
A student whose parent or legal guardian is in military service in the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard and such parent has been called to active duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting will be granted excused late arrivals or early departures to visit with his or her parent prior to the parent’s deployment or during the leave

Indication of an excused early departure or late arrival specified on a school sign in/out sheet by a parent/guardian shall be accepted as a substitute for a written excuse. Students missing thirty (30) or more minutes from any class are considered absent for that class. Missing less than thirty 30 minutes from any class is considered to be a tardy/early departure. Students who accumulate more than five (5) unexcused late arrivals and/or more than five (5) unexcused early departures from any class during a 9-week grading period shall be subject to the appropriate consequences according to progressive discipline measures, which may include detention, in-school suspension, and out-of-school suspension.

PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED WORK

Previously assigned work includes but is not limited to reports, projects, homework, and term papers which were assigned when the student was present. Previously assigned work should be completed on the day the student returns to school unless an administrator has determined this would make it an unreasonable expectation of the student. (Make-up work is defined as work assigned on a day the student is absent and is not to be confused with previously assigned work.)

Teachers have the discretion to require students who were present prior to the date of the test administration, but absent on the date of the administration, to make up the missed test on the first date the student returns. Credit will only be awarded if the required excuse is submitted within five days and the absence is deemed an excused absence. (Previously assigned work should be completed on the day the student returns to school unless an administrator has determined this would make it an unreasonable expectation of the student.

MAKE-UP WORK

To make up daily assignments, test, or major projects the absence is classified as either an excused absence or a pre-approved absence.
For an unexcused absence, students can make-up a test or major project only.
The student makes arrangements to make up work with the class teacher within five (5) days after returning to school. If the teacher is out on leave, the student’s time to make arrangements is extended by the number of days that the teacher is out on leave. All work must be made up within five (5) days after the last absence unless a principal had determined there are unusual circumstances which would justify a longer time or the awarding of an incomplete for the course.

No make-up work is to be graded until after an absence has been determined to be excused.

TEEN-AGE & ADULT DRIVER - RESPONSIBILITY ACT

Georgia’s Teen-age and Adult Driver Responsibility Act of 1997 requires that local school systems certify whether or not a student’s attendance pattern and discipline record allow him or her to have a Georgia Driver’s permit or license. This section of the law became effective on January 1, 1998. O.C.G.A. § 40-5-22 stipulates that the issuance of a driver’s license and driver’s permit to minors will be based on student enrollment. Driving curfews also apply to any Class D license holders prohibited from driving between 12 and 5 AM. During the first six months an individual holds a Class D driver’s license, they may not drive with a non-family passengers under the age of 21.

CERTIFICATE OF SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

Students must present a Certificate of School Enrollment when applying for a driver’s license or permit. This certificate may be obtained from the counselors’ office. Allow at least 48 hours (two working days) for the certificate to be prepared. This certificate is good for thirty (30) days. If a driver’s license or permit is applied for after the certificate has expired, then the student must obtain another certificate for $5 fee and allow at least two working days for processing. Students who plan to obtain a permit or license during the summer months must obtain a Certificate of School Enrollment prior to summer break. Certificates issued prior to summer break are valid for ninety (90) days.

CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES (CHINS)

Emanuel County Board of Education believes that regular school attendance is essential to gaining a quality education. Each school shall intervene early when students begin to accumulate absences. These interventions shall include telephone calls, letters, home visits and conferences informing of absences and resource referrals to parents offering assistance in resolving attendance problems. If attendance problems continue, a referral to the Children In Need of Service (CHNS) will result. The purpose of the CHNS Hearing is to provide school and community-based assistance to families when needed to address attendance concerns. The CHNS Hearing is intended to be a preventative and not punitive means to promote excellent, regular attendance.

Students Found Truant

In the event of being reported or found truant pursuant to O.C.G.A. 20-2-698, 20-2-699, and/or 20-2-700, the student, along with their parent/guardian, will be immediately referred for a CHNS hearing, even if they have not yet reached seven absences.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE

For purposes of determining perfect attendance, students shall have no tardies to school, no early dismissals from school, and be present on campus all day each school day.