Student Attendance
Please see the attached Attendance Flyer HERE
POLICY: The Superintendent or designee is responsible for enforcing school attendance of all children subject to the compulsory school age in the Orange County Public Schools (“OCPS”) district and supporting enforcement of school attendance by local law enforcement agencies. The responsibility includes recommending policies and procedures to The School Board of Orange County, Florida (“Board”) that require schools to respond in a timely manner to every unexcused absence, and every absence for which the reason is unknown, of students enrolled in the schools.
Attendance Policy and Procedures
A. Florida law requires students to attend school until graduation or age 18. The law requires that schools determine excused and unexcused absences on a daily basis. Diligent attendance is crucial for academic success. Strict adherence to the following guidelines is essential:
1. Cypress Creek High School will make every effort to notify parents upon the 5th unexcused absence.
2. All absences will be marked as unexcused until a written note is physically received from the parent within 48 hours of returning to school anything after 48 hours will not be excused.
3. It is permissible to excuse an absence for the following reasons only:
* Illness or injury of student
* Illness or death of a member of the student’s immediate family
* Recognized religious holidays as stated on the OCPS Attendance Policy & Procedures Handbook.
* Medical/Dental appointments (please try to schedule appointments after 2:30)
* Court Dates (Proof-Appointment)
* Participation in an approved activity or class of instruction held at another school site. (field trips, assemblies, etc.)
* Prearranged absences due to extenuating circumstances or participation in an approved activity or class of instruction held out of school (Pending Admin approval) Form must be submitted 5 days prior. (Personal trips and vacations during school days are not excused absences)
* Head lice infestation (up to four (4) days during the school year)
4. School Board Policy allows one day for each day of excused absence, plus an additional day, to make up work. Students are responsible for make-up work according to their teacher’s instructions.
5. A doctor’s note must be turned into the attendance office once a student has accumulated three days of absences. *Parent notes can be used to excuse a student’s absence for up to two days consecutively for an illness. Students are allowed 5 Parent notes per semester.
6. Each student is required to enroll in courses for a full school day. Only the principal is able to grant a waiver for a partial school day.
7. Students 18 years of age and older must have parent/guardian permission to sign out early from the Attendance Office. All other students must be signed out by an adult identified at their time of registration or by an appropriate written update. Failure to follow proper sign-out procedures will be considered skipping.
8. Students administratively suspended from school are allowed to make up missed schoolwork. They are allowed to the number of days suspended plus one to make up class work.
9. There will be no Check out after 1:40 PM on regular days/ after 12:40 PM on Wednesday.
B. Attendance - Late Arrivals to School:
1. Students arriving late to school must check in the Attendance Office and obtain a tardy pass from the Attendance Office. All students late to first period must have a slip from attendance prior to being allowed to enter class.
2. Failure to sign in and receive a pass when tardy to school will be considered as skipping and result in disciplinary action.
3. Failure to serve teacher or administrative consequences for being tardy may result in further disciplinary action.
4. Students who repeatedly sign in to school after first period class may be subject to disciplinary action and will not be allowed to make up missed work for credit.
C. Attendance - Tardy to Class:
1. Work that is missed due to an unexcused tardy may be made up at teacher discretion.
2. Teachers will notify parents and take other measures to encourage students to be in class on time.
3. Any student who continues to be late to a class or classes after the parent has been notified and teacher action has proven ineffective, will be considered in open defiance of school policy and subject to consequence as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
4. Every 5 unexcused tardies is considered an unexcused absence and will be considered as truancy.
Please see the OCPS Attendance Handbook for more information