Being on time is a life skill important to each student's future. The parents have the responsibility to teach the importance of this skill while the school has the responsibility to protect the instructional time it provides. Tardiness of individual students interrupts instructional time. Promptness to class protects the teacher's right to begin the instruction of all students on time.
Students are tardy if they are not in the classroom when the bell rings. Students who are tardy to homeroom will report to the office which will determine whether or not to excuse the tardy. An excused or unexcused slip will then be issued for the student to take to the homeroom teacher. For all other class periods, the classroom teacher will determine if the tardy is excused or unexcused.
If a teacher detains a student after class, the teacher will sign a pass for the student to take to his/her next class. Each classroom teacher reserves the right to determine whether to excuse a student who is tardy to that class.
An excused tardy to school is defined as: a tardy due to a doctor’s appointment, medical emergency, or any other serious extenuating circumstance. (Whether the driver or passenger, a student is still individually responsible for arriving to school on time.) Any other reason will result in an unexcused tardy. A note from a parent must be turned in to the office stating the reason the student is tardy within three (3) school days of the infraction. Otherwise the tardy will be unexcused.
When a student is continually tardy to a class, parents will be notified by the teacher. Extra work may also be assigned for tardiness at the teacher's discretion. Parents need to acknowledge the unexcused tardy by signing the completed work before it is turned in to the teacher. Upon the event of a fourth unexcused tardy to school, or to the same class, a detention will be assigned. Each succeeding unexcused tardy to that class during the semester will result in another detention.
Teachers will notify the office if a student is continually late to class. Excessive tardiness, whether excused or unexcused, will result in a conference of parent and student with school administration. Continued tardiness may result in a suspension.