EXCUSED ABSENCES

Excused Absences, Policy JBD: Absences and Excuses Absences will be treated as excused if they occur for any of the following reasons (additional documentation, such as medical documentation, may be required by the principal or designee):

​

1. Personal illness or when attendance in school endangers the student's health or the health of others.

 

2. A serious illness or death in a student's immediate family necessitating absence from school.

 

3. A court order or an order by a government agency, including pre-induction physical examinations for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school.

 

4. The observation of religious holidays, necessitating absence from school. See Policy JBFA: Religious Holidays

 

5. Conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety.

 

6. A student whose parent or legal guardian is in military service in the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard, and such parent or legal guardian has been called to active duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, A student shall be granted excused absences, up to a maximum of five (5) school days per school year, for the day or days missed from school to visit with his or her parent or legal guardian prior to such parent's or legal guardian's deployment or during such parent's or legal guardian's leave.

 

7. A scheduled medical, dental, or eye examination of the student.

 

8. Attendance on a trip or event having significant educational value, provided (1) the school administrator is notified of the absence in advance and (2) the school administrator determines if the trip or event has significant educational value.

 

9. Unusual or urgent circumstances requiring the student's parents or legal guardian to be outside of Henry County overnight and where it is determined by the parents/legal guardian that it would be in the student's best interest for the student to accompany the parents/legal guardian. Where possible, a written explanation should be submitted by the parents/legal guardian before the student is to be absent; if prior notice cannot be given, a written explanation is to be provided no later than the first day the student returns to school after the absence.

 

10. Take Your Child to Work Day. Students who participate in this event will be excused but will be counted absent.

 

A student who serves as a Page of the General Assembly during the school year shall be counted present at school in the same manner as an educational field trip.

 

Jessie’s Law (O.C.G.A. §20-2-692.2) states a foster care student (served by DFCS) who attends court proceedings relating to the student’s foster care shall be credited as present by the school and shall not be counted as an absence, either excused or unexcused, for any day, portion of a day, or days missed from school.

​

For more information concerning student attendance, please refer to pg 9 of the 2023-24 Student and Parent Handbook.

​