Attendance Policies

Every day is an important day at Erwin Middle School. Good school attendance is important to the student’s success at middle school and beyond. Chronic absence — missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences, and suspensions—can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third-grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school. Colorado State Law requires students to attend school every day that it is in session with the following exceptions:

A student who is...

• temporarily ill or injured or whose absence is approved by the administrator of the school of attendance.
• absent for an extended period due to physical, mental, or emotional disability pursuing a work-study program under the supervision of a public school.
• participating in any school sponsored activity or a student who has advance approval by the Administration to attend an activity of an educational nature.
• on a doctor’s written advice, absent because their presence may constitute a danger to their health or will seriously expose other students to a health hazard.
• has a death in his or her immediate family.
• attending a scheduled health appointment with a doctor, dentist, or other medical advisor (please provide a note from the health professional for excusal).
• under quarantine.
• required in court.
• with advance approval, attends for a minimum of one hundred seventy-two days in an independent or parochial school which provides a basic academic education as defined in state law.
• in the custody of a court or law enforcement authorities.
• being instructed at home by a certified teacher or under a system of home study pursuant to state law and state board of education rules.
• absent with written approval of the building principal based on special family circumstances. 
• issued with current age and school certificate or work permit pursuant to state law.
• participating in an observance of their religion.

An unexcused absence is an absence that is not covered by one of the foregoing exceptions, including:

• Leaving school or a class without permission of the teacher or administrator in charge.
• Not reporting to school or a class unless the absence is excused in accordance with the school’s policy.

If a student is absent without an excuse authorized by the parent/guardian or if the student leaves school or class without permission of the teacher or administrator in charge, the student shall be considered truant. A “habitually truant” student shall be defined as a student of compulsory attendance age who has 4 unexcused absences from school or from any class in any one month or 10 unexcused absences during any school year. Absences due to suspension or expulsion shall not be counted in the total of unexcused absences.

The school has established a system of monitoring individual excused and unexcused absences. When a student fails to report on a regularly scheduled school day and school employees have received no indication that the parent/guardian is aware of the absence, school employees or volunteers under the direction of school employees shall make a reasonable effort to notify the parent/guardian by telephone. Additional communication regarding absences will be as follows:

• 4 absences (excused or unexcused): a contact from school personnel explaining the attendance policy and process and offering assistance if needed
• 7 absences (excused or unexcused): ∙ A first attendance letter will be sent. A meeting with school personnel may be required. An attendance contract may be required.
• 10 absences (excused or unexcused): A second attendance letter will be sent. Absences will only be excused for medical reasons. This means students must be excused by our health office prior to missing school, or students must return with proper documentation from medical offices. A meeting with school personnel may be required. An attendance contract may be required. Referral to the district truancy office and initiation of legal proceedings related to truancy may begin.

A plan shall be developed for a student who is at risk of being declared habitually truant/absent with the goal of assisting the child to remain in school. When practicable, the child’s parent/guardian or legal custodian shall participate with district employees during the development of the plan. Appropriate school personnel shall make reasonable efforts to meet with the parent/guardian or legal custodian to review and evaluate the reasons for the child’s truancy/absenteeism.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR STUDENT STOP INTO THE OFFICE BEFORE SCHOOL on that day and get an Appointment Pass. Your student will need to know the time being picked up for an appointment. Your student will show this pass to his/her teacher to be dismissed for pick up. This practice will GREATLY reduce the number of interruptions to classrooms and help you get to your appointment sooner:) All students are expected to remain at school for the entire day. If a student must leave for an appointment, they must:

1. Present a note to the attendance office before school that day.
2. Have a parent/guardian sign the student out when they leave. Anyone signing a student out from school before the end of the school day may be asked to present an ID before the student will be released. In an effort to maximize our students’ safety, if someone other than the parent/guardian is picking up a student, a written note signed by the parent is necessary.
3. Check-in with the office when they return. Please return students to school after appointments to resume their school day when possible. Please provide a written excuse from your healthcare provider whenever possible. This allows our attendance clerk to “medically excuse” the appointment time. Most providers can print these for you as you check out.

Whenever a student is absent from school, a parent/guardian is asked to call 970-613-7690 before 9:00 am on the day of the absence. Notes are only required and accepted when it has been impossible to make a call to the school. Please see “How sick is too sick?” for detailed guidance on when to keep your child home.

Students /or parents can pick up the long-term absence form (3+ days of absence) at the attendance window. This provides the student an opportunity to receive some make-up work prior to the absence. Students will need to make-up assignments (see make-up work section below).

It is the student’s responsibility to make up any work missed because of an absence (excused or unexcused) or tardy. Students and families can communicate with teachers directly and check their Google Classrooms for assignments. Students will be allowed one day to complete missing work for each day missed. In the event of an extended illness, arrangements to pick up schoolwork or Chromebooks/chargers can be made with the front office by calling 970-613-7600. Please allow 24 hours for requests.

Middle schools operate under a closed campus policy. Once you arrive on school grounds, even before the bell rings at the start of school, whether walking or in a vehicle, you will not be permitted to leave the school grounds at any time during the school day without parent/guardian and office permission.

Students are allowed 4-minute passing periods between classes. They are encouraged to use their lockers, the restroom, and drinking fountains at this time. A tardy is when a student is up to 10 minutes late to a class without an excused pass. After 10 minutes, a tardy is considered truancy. If you arrive at school after the tardy bell has rung in the morning, you must report to the office with a written explanation from a parent/guardian or they must contact the office by phone. After period 1, tardies will be recorded and monitored by teachers.

• 1st Tardy- Warning/Reminder
• 2nd Tardy- Consequence from teacher
• 3rd Tardy- Consequence from teacher and parent phone call
• 4th+ Tardy- Referral to the office administrator

Students who have 10 or more tardies between school dances, or who receive referrals resulting in suspension (out-of-school or in-school) may not be allowed to attend the dance.