• Attendance Reporting

    A primary obligation of the school & parent is to encourage regular attendance. Regular attendance is a habit that directly applies to academic success.  School opens for students at 8:15 AM and class begins at 8:45 AM.  All teachers are expected to check attendance daily within the first 10 minutes of each class period. State policy prohibits allowing any student to take the roll. It is the sole responsibility of the advisor or classroom teacher.

    Attendance is one major cause for poor work and failure in school. It is the position of the administration and faculty that every class meeting is important. Anything less than perfect attendance will have a detrimental impact on the grade and learning for the semester. Students that are absent from school for any reason must submit a written note from the parent or guardian explaining the dates and reasons for the absence(s) upon returning to school. Parents should call and notify the Attendance Office (404-802-5300) before 9:00 A.M. if their child will be absent for that day.   

    Each floor administration office maintains accurate and updated student records and working telephone numbers. We keep a folder on each student that contains personal data forms, excuses for absences, discipline notices, commendations, correspondence, student schedules, and etc. These folders are located in a secure location. Administrative personnel view the folders periodically.

    Truancy

    Truancy violates the Compulsory Attendance Law. The Atlanta Board of Education established the Truancy Center to investigate the status of truant students and to recommend appropriate action. When a student is found away from the school building and it is determined that said student is truant, he/she will be transported to the Truancy Center required by O.C.G.A. § 20-2-736 and O.C.G.A § 20-2-690.1.  Truancy, class cuts and leaving campus without permission are considered major violations.

    Excused Absences:

    The following guidelines have been established to minimize absenteeism. The Georgia Board of Education allows for documented absences due to:

    • Personal illness
    • Death or serious illness in the family
    • Recognized religious holidays
    • Absences caused by order of government
    • Inclement weather or dangerous conditions as determined by the school district
    • Compliance with a court order or an order issued by a governmental agency, including agency, including an order for a pre-induction physical examination for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school
    • Conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to the student's health or safety
    • Serving as a page in the Georgia General Assembly
    • Absences not exceeding a cumulative total of six days per year for the following reasons, but only if the absence has been pre-approved by the principal or designee:
      • Scholarship interviews/college visitations
      • Travel opportunity with educational benefits
      • Specialized educational experience
    • OSS/ISS is an excused absence. Students are allowed to make up all work missed for excused absences.

    Unexcused absences

    Any absence not defined as excused is unexcused. A student is encouraged to make up any school work missed during an excused absence.  All unexcused absences will result in the student receiving a “zero” for the unexcused day(s).  Some examples of unexcused absences include (but are not limited to) the following: car trouble, oversleeping, missing the bus, shopping, beauty shop appointments, baby-sitting, truancy, and absences not listed as excused.  Truancy is defined as a student deliberately not attending school (or specific classes) because of an unexcused reason.

    Requesting Makeup Work after an Absence

    Upon returning to school following an absence, it is a student’s responsibility to contact the teacher or teachers to request makeup work.  The contact should be made on the day the student returns to school.       

    Tardy to School 

    Students tardy to school must report to the attendance office before going to first period.  Students may not enter first period without a pass from an administrator or the Attendance Specialist.  Tardies to school will follow the discipline cycle for tardies to class.  Excessive tardies are considered by the administration to be failure to follow instructions to arrive at school/class on time. 

    Field Trips/School Activities/Athletic Checkouts

    In order to participate in a field trip, school activity, or athletic event, students must have a record of regular school attendance.  Students with excessive absences or tardies (i.e. 5 or more absences/5 or more tardies per semester) may forfeit the opportunity to participate. 

    Attendance Procedures

    • Parents/guardians should notify Therrell High School  (404.802.5300) if their child will be absent from school. Parents may call at any time and leave a message on the voice mail.
    • If the parent does not inform the school of their child’s absence, contact may be initiated by the school. Parents will be contacted via telephone at home or at work.  
    • If the school is unable to reach the parent by phone, parents will be notified by U.S. Mail or through correspondence delivered by the an APS official.
    • The law does not set any timeline for notification in the event of student absence. School officials are advised that a “reasonable attempt” must be made in regards to parent/guardian notification.

    Early Dismissal

    All early dismissals and checkouts are encouraged to occur after 12:00 PM & prior to 3:00 PM. 

    Parent or guardian should:

    • All requests to leave school must include the student’s name, date, and reason for leaving, departure time, return time, and parent/guardian contact information. Students will not be allowed to leave campus if the clerk cannot verify the request.  
    • The student should submit all documents to the clerk by 9:00 AM
    • The request will be verified and the student will be issued a checkout pass
    • At the time of dismissal the student will report to the clerk
    • In extreme conditions, the student may checkout without a note. In this case, the nurse, or administrator will call a parent or guardian and get permission for the student to leave school.  Under no circumstances will a student ever be allowed to leave school without a parent or guardian being contacted.

    Once the student has been approved to leave school, the student will sign-out in the attendance office and receive an early dismissal letter.