Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations: Lifelong Learner
The Board sets out as the responsibility of each student "to be in attendance at all classes and scheduled activities on time and with the proper materials required for full participation" (Mission Statement). Regular and punctual attendance for all classes and scheduled activities is the expectation of every student and is vital to the process of learning.
RATIONALE
For a number of reasons, some students will miss time from regular classes. The Ontario Ministry of Education requires a student receive 110 hours of instruction in order to earn a secondary school credit. According to the Ontario Secondary School (OSS) document, the principal of a secondary school has the right to set limitations on classes missed before granting a secondary school credit. With this in mind, the staff of St. Martin Secondary School has formulated a policy to ensure that students who have missed 10 or more hours in any course will be afforded the opportunity to gain a credit by virtue of an assignment package that will compensate for the time missed from the course. The assignment package must reflect the amount of course material missed by the student.
STUDENT ABSENCES
Parent/Guardian Responsibilities:
- Notify the Attendance Office by 9:30 a.m. on the day of the absence.
- Provide the student's name, grade and reason for the absence.
- Provide a parental/guardian signed and dated note confirming the absence (duration and reason) on the day of student's return to school.
Student's Responsibilities:
When a student returns to school after an absence, the student is required to provide the parental/guardian note to the Attendance Office BEFORE school begins. Students who do not have a period 1 class are required to provide the parent/guardian note to the Attendance Office prior to their first class of the day. At that time, a student receives an admit slip which must be shown to each one of his/her teachers.
Students without an admit slip are not permitted to class and are to be redirected to the Attendance Office.
STUDENT LATES
Period 1
Students are to be admitted to class by their period 1 teacher until 9:00 a.m. The teacher will record all lates and consequences on student profile sheets. Students who arrive after 9:00 a.m. must sign in at the Attendance Office before going to class.
Periods 2, 3, 4
Any student arriving to their period 2, 3 or 4 class after the second bell, is late. Your teacher will record all lates and consequences on the student's profile sheets.
SIGNING OUT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
Students must present a signed note from parent/guardian stating the date, time and reason for leaving school to the Attendance Office prior to 8:20 am.
Students who do not have a period 1 class are required to provide the parental/guardian note to the Attendance Office prior to their first class of the day. Parent contact (verbal or written) must be made before a student may receive a Release Slip. The release slip acts as the admit slip upon return to school.
Students must leave the school premises promptly at the time indicated on their sign out. If a student leaves school without signing out, the absence will be considered a truancy.
STUDENT ILLNESS
Students who become ill during the day are required to report to the Attendance Office. These students will be allowed to sign out only after parental permission has been received. Leaving the school without signing out through the office is recorded as a truant class. Students who take ill while at home for lunch or spare must arrange to have a parent/guardian call the school before the end of Period 4 that day.