Attendance Information
Not here?
Parents must call the school office to report that their child is not going to attend school or is going to be late and the reason why. At Maple Grove, calls should be made by 8:00 AM to 386-2855 ext: 2311; all requests for homework must be made prior to 7:45 AM at Bemus Elementary, calls should be made by 9:00 AM to 386-3795, option #2; all requests for homework should be made at this time.
Emails are also accepted as a written excuse. Emails may be sent to [email protected]. Please notify us of any absence, including illness, appointments, and vacations. Unless prior notification is given, all absences must be reported daily.
Miss a day or coming in late?
District Policy requires that all absences and tardiness be documented with a written note from the parent or guardian. Please send this note to the office the day your child comes back to school. A written note is required even though you have made a call to the school. Students arriving late must sign in at the office upon arrival. If a student does not have a note, disciplinary action may take place. Three (3) consecutive lates to school may result in an automatic office detention for MG students. Parents are able to submit two tardy notices for the student.
Leaving early?
At Maple Grove, all written excuses for an early dismissal and any bus passes must be presented in the Main Office prior to first period. Please sign out in the Nurse’s Office prior to leaving the building.
At Bemus Elementary, all written excuses for an early dismissal should be given to your child’s teacher and they will forward the excuse to the office. An email excuse is
accepted for absences and tardiness. Please sign out in the Main Office prior to leaving the building.
Student Attendance Policy - Policy #7110
The Bemus Point Central School District believes punctuality and regular attendance are life-long skills that promote success in school, community, and the workplace.
It is ultimately the parent or guardian's responsibility to ensure their child's regular attendance in school.
Attendance is a component of scholarship. Students' full participation in class via seat time or individual contributions to the curriculum benefits the individual as well as others through the collective contributions of all students.
Mastery of content and skills is greatly enhanced by active participation of students. Students' participation is one criteria used in assessing student mastery of the curriculum. Therefore, to receive credit for courses, students must fulfill the necessary academic requirements of each course and must comply with the following attendance requirements.
Class Attendance and Course Completion
In order for students to be eligible to take tests and submit papers, homework, projects, etc., for grades required to receive credit for any course, students must be in attendance a minimum of 85% of the total days the course is scheduled to be in session. Any student who is absent more than 15% of the time, regardless of the reason (excused or unexcused), may be in a position to not receive credit for the course. For example, a student who exceeds 27 absences for a full year course or 13 absences for a semester course may lose credit for the course.
However, where a student earns a passing grade, credit will not be denied for the course. When a student misses 50% or more of a class period (20 minutes), this will be considered a full-class absence. Transfer students and students re-enrolling after dropping out of school will be expected to attend 85% of the scheduled class meetings during their time of enrollment.
Once a student's absences exceed the attendance standards as specified, the student may receive recorded grades for any remaining exams/tests or be allowed to submit papers/projects, etc., for grades necessary to receive credit for that course. Students who violate the minimum attendance standards and do not have a passing grade, nonetheless, will be allowed to attend the class unless the District conducts a full disciplinary hearing in accordance with Education Law.
Elementary/junior high school students may be required to attend a summer school program to assist them in learning required grade-level standards.
Education Law §§ 3024, 3025, 3202, 3205, 3206, 3210, 3211 and 3213
8 NYCRR §§ 104.1, 109.2 and 175.6
Adopted by the Board of Education: November 14, 2016
Reporting
Elementary parents are asked to call 386-3795, option # 2; between 8:00 - 9:30 AM, and secondary parents are asked to call 386-2855 ext: 2311 by 8:00 AM to report their child’s absence.
An e-alert call will go out to parents who do not report their child’s absence. Schools are required by law to obtain a written excuse from a parent or guardian for each case of absence or tardiness for their children. An email to the Attendance Officer/Nurse on that day will be accepted as the excuse. The excuse must specify the date of the absence or tardiness, the specific reason, and must be written and signed by the parent or guardian. This excuse must be returned the day the student returns to school.
Maple Grove students participating in any extracurriculars, including athletics, must be in school by 11:00 AM in order to participate in practice and/or competitions after school.