Attendance and Truancy
Parents/guardians are expected to make every effort to ensure that children are in school when classes are in session. Maximum success can best be attained through regular attendance. Class discussion cannot be retained by make-up work. Students should not miss class without valid cause or prior approval by the building administrator. All absences whether excused or unexcused are included in the total number of absences.

Reporting an Absence
If your child is absent, please call the school office (264-3351) and report the absence by 9:30 A.M. If you are unable to contact the office, a written excuse is needed upon the child’s return to school. In the note, please indicate the date(s) and reason for the absence. Students are considered unexcused until valid notification has been provided. Excused absences include the following:

1. Significant illness
2. Family tragedy/emergency
3. Observance of a Religious Holiday
4. Doctor and/or Dentist appointments. The student should bring in an appointment card from the doctor to excuse the absence.
5. Circumstances which cause the parent concern for the safety or health or their child.

A parent call does not make the absence excused if the reason for the absence is not excusable; the building administrator has the right to determine what constitutes an excused absence.

Students will be permitted to make up missed work during excused absences. One day is given for each day missed. Homework may be requested after the second consecutive day and will be available for pick-up in the office after 3:00 PM. Students are not permitted to attend any school or district sponsored event on that day or evening.

Children should be kept home and/or will be sent home for the following reasons:

1. Fever of 100 degrees or higher as determined orally. Children should not return to school until they are fever free for twenty-four hours.
2. Diarrhea
3. Vomiting
4. Rash with fever or a rash associated with a virus.
5. Sore throat with swollen glands
6. Continuous or hacking cough
7. Mucus or pus draining from the eye
8. Yellow skin or eyes
9. Chicken pox. All pox needs to be completely scabbed over before returning to school.
10. Contagious conditions which require twenty-four hours of antibiotic treatment.
11. Head Lice (see policy)

Parents are urged not to keep students out of school for work, babysitting, birthdays, shopping or personal reasons of a similar nature. Absences of this nature will be considered unexcused.

Upon returning to school, students must obtain an “Admit Slip” from the office between 8:10 and 8:25 AM. Students must not leave the building during the school day until permission is granted through the office. Parents need to come into the office and sign their child(ren) out. No child will be released to any individual not previously listed on the Registration/Emergency Form filed in the school office.

Medical Absence
All Indian Creek School District students are allowed ten (10) total school absences per school year. After ten (10) absences, to excuse each absence thereafter, a physician’s note stating specific medical reasons for the student’s absence will be required within 24 hours of the student’s return to school. While seeking a medical excuse, the student’s parent or guardian must still comply with absent notification procedures. Should a parent or guardian choose not to secure a medical excuse, the absence will be considered unexcused. Medical notes must be signed by a doctor and state specific days that a student is to be excused from school.

Extreme or unusual circumstances, or absences due to a school related function of an educational nature, will be evaluated by a case-by-case basis by the building administrator.

Vacation Absence
The Indian Creek School District strongly encourages parents to plan vacations to coincide with the school calendar so as to avoid taking valuable educational time away from their children.

Family trips/vacations will be excused for a maximum of five (5) days per school year. More than five (5) days will be considered unexcused. The Principal must be notified in writing at least five (5) days in advance of family trips. A Pre-arranged Absence/Request form is available in the office for this purpose. These five (5) vacation days will be included in the child’s ten (10) total excused absence days. Students will be given as much work as possible before leaving for vacation. It is the student’s responsibility to completed all assigned work and be prepared for any forms of assessment upon returning to school.

Tardies
Students are required to be in the classroom when the tardy bell rings at 8:25 AM or they will be considered tardy. Two (2) unexcused tardies equal one (1) unexcused absence. Students with excessive tardies or absences may by referred to the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education’s Truancy Intervention/Prevention Program for assistance. All tardies will be considered unexcused unless the school is provided with a doctor’s verification of a medical appointment.

Per Illinois School Code, the following applies: Students arriving or departing school within one hour of the school day, will be recorded as tardy. A half day absence is recorded when the student is absent between one and three hours. Students missing more than three hours of the school day will be recoded as a full day absence.

Truancy
A “chronic or habitual truant” is a child who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause from such attendance for 10 percent or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days. Using the definition cited, the Indian Creek School District shall determine if the student is truant or chronic or habitual truant minor. Every attempt shall be made to determine the reason for the absences through dialogue with the parents and students. A referral may be made to the DeKalb county Regional Office of Education LODIS Truancy Intervention/Prevention after nine (9) unexcused absences during the previous 180 days of school attendance.