The school year is 180 days long. Pennsylvania Law requires the attendance of each student on all days and hours that the school is in session. State law further requires that students may not absent themselves without the approval of the school. A student's attendance record reflects her patterns of absence and lateness. A ‘Perfect Attendance’ certificate is awarded to those students who have been present each school day and have no unexcused lateness.
LATENESS
A bell will ring at 8:00 AM, at which time each student must be in her assigned seat in homeroom. A student who arrives after the 8:00am bell is late for school, and must report to the Student Services Office for a late pass before going to her locker or to her homeroom.
Students are required to serve detention for all unexcused lateness after four. Students late more than 10 times unexcused will be assigned to same-day detention; parents will be notified. Same-day detention will continue through each school year. A parental interview will be required for seniors who make no attempt to improve in this regard. If an early morning appointment causes lateness, verification of the appointment is to be brought to Student Services in order to receive an excused late pass. Reasons for lateness are to be noted on the late pass; in certain cases a parent’s note is also required. Unexcused lateness will count against a perfect attendance record. A 'Perfect Attendance' certificate is awarded only to those students who have been present and on time each school day.
REPORTING OF ABSENCE
When a student is absent, her parent or guardian must telephone the Student Services Office at 455-6900 ext. 125 or ext. 128 between 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM. If the absence is going to be prolonged, the student's parent or guardian may make arrangements to call in periodically. NO STUDENT IS EVER PERMITTED TO REPORT HERSELF ABSENT FROM SCHOOL.
OFFICIAL ABSENCE FORM
The official absentee form is to be brought to the Student Services Office before homeroom on the day of return. The form must be signed by a parent or guardian, and must include current home and work numbers (where applicable). Demerit consequences are applied when this policy is not followed. Only the official form is acceptable; these forms may be obtained in the Student Services Office. A student who is absent for three or more days is required to have a doctor's certificate as well as the official form on the day of her return. Doctor's certificates must be presented at the time of absence; certificates submitted after the absence has been recorded will not be accepted.
UNEXCUSED ABSENCE
Unexcused absences exceeding 22 days will result in attendance at Diocesan Summer School. Any senior who exceeds the 22-day limit will not be permitted to participate in Baccalaureate Mass or Graduation exercises. The diploma will be issued upon successful completion of the Diocesan Summer School program. If the school nurse sends a student home before she has completed four class periods, the student will be counted as absent from school for that day. Any student missing four class periods in a day for medical or other appointments will be counted as absent.
Students are not permitted to participate in any school activity on days they are absent from school. In certain instances approval for participation in a scheduled activity may be obtained from the Assistant Principal for Student Services. Failure to comply with this regulation could result in the student being asked to leave the event to which she has come. Students must arrange for routine medical and dental appointments, job interviews, procurement of working papers, driving tests, interviews for or visits to colleges, etc. either after school hours, on Saturdays, school holidays or during vacation periods. They must consult the school calendar for free days. Students will not be routinely excused for these appointments.
N.B. Parental contact information should be kept up-to-date in case there is an emergency or a question as to absence or lateness. When the need arises, students are to update phone numbers/addresses in both Student Services and the Main Office.