Attendance Policy
Good attendance at school is important if you are to succeed. You are expected to be here on time. Buses arrive at approximately 7:30 a.m., and walkers should plan to arrive at approximately the same time. Homeroom commences at 7:45 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and announcements.
Attendance is taken each morning in homeroom and in every class throughout the day.
If you are absent from school, for any reason, please have your parent/guardian call the Attendance Office at (716) 686-3227. Within 5 days of returning to school, bring a written excuse indicating the dates and reason for absence to the Attendance Office. If excuses are not brought in, the absences are marked unexcused.
It is important that household phone numbers are kept up to date especially as it relates to attendance. When a student’s absence has not been confirmed by a parent’s call, the school will attempt to contact a parent or guardian with the use of an automated telephone system.
Students arriving after 7:45 a.m. are considered late and must enter through the front, main doors. Students are expected to report to the Attendance Office where they will receive a pass to admit them to class or homeroom. Upon their late arrival, they should present a parental note explaining their tardiness. Those students who are late an excessive number of times will be referred to the administration.
Under the Lancaster Central School District Attendance Policy, it is unexcused to remove a child from school for a vacation as long as school is in session. It is understood that the child is responsible for getting and making up all schoolwork after the absence. Students are required to make up work after their return.
New York State has divided all student absences into two categories:
- Unexcused – An absence, tardiness or early departure is considered unexcused if the reason for the lack of attendance does not fall into the above categories (e.g., family vacation, hunting, babysitting, haircut, oversleeping).
- Excused – An absence, tardiness or early departure may be excused if due to personal illness, illness or death in the family, impassable roads due to inclement weather, religious observance, quarantine, required court appearances, medical appointments, approved cooperative work programs or administratively approved school-sponsored activities or other such extraordinary reasons as approved by the administration.