Regular attendance has a direct correlation to high levels of student learning and students are encouraged to attend every class on time and every day of the school year. Northfield High School’s attendance goal, as part of the School Improvement Plan, is 95%; this percentage is equal to five absences per semester. An absence is defined as non-attendance in class, and can be either “excused” or “unexcused,” as outlined below. All seniors must maintain a 92% attendance rate to walk at Graduation.
Northfield High School contacts parents/guardians regarding student attendance concerns and responds with appropriate consequences, when non-attendance becomes problematic. Parents/Guardians can request their student’s attendance report from the Main office and an attendance report can be obtained from the student’s Infinite Campus account.
To excuse an absence:
- Leave a message on the Northfield Attendance Line (720) 423-8001, by 7:45 a.m., each and every day the student is absent.
- Email the Northfield Attendance Office.
- Write and deliver a note, within 24 hours of the absence, to the Main Office.
When possible, please communicate excused absences to the Main Office prior to the absence or the day of the absence. Absences remain “unexcused,” if the request for an excuse is not accepted within one day of the absence.
All “excuses,” whether written or verbal must include:
- Parent/Guardian’s name
- Student’s full name (please spell last name) and ID number
- Date(s) of the absence
- The reason for the absence
- Telephone number, where the parent/guardian can be contacted during the school day.
If a student is absent for three or more days, a doctor’s note must be provided.
Providing an excuse note one or two days after the absence does not apply to excused tardies or partial absences; these must be excused on the day they occur.
The following reasons constitute an excused absence:
- Illness
- Medical/Dental appointment
- Court date
- Funeral
- Religious holiday
- Personal reasons/extenuating circumstances
Partial-Day Absences
Please provide 24-hours notice, if your student will miss a portion of the school day. All partials must be confirmed by a parent/guardian before a student can be dismissed. Students must sign in and out of the Main Office, when they leave and when they return. Leaving school without doing so is considered an unexcused absence.
Excessive Absences
Excused
When a student has five or more excused days of absence during a nine-week time period, Northfield’s attendance secretary will complete an attendance referral to an engagement specialist.
Unexcused
An attendance referral is made for one or more periods of unexcused absence (truancy), and always in response to more than five unexcused absences in any nine week period. Students with more than 20 unexcused period absences, tardies or combination of both per semester, could lose the privilege to participate in extracurricular activities, including athletics, dances or after-school functions.
Students with excessive absences may face several interventions, which vary based on the severity of the concern.
Late to class
Three unexcused tardies in one class equals one unexcused absence. A student is considered tardy if they are not in class when the bell rings.
Attendance Process
1-5 unexcused period absences in a 9 week period
- Automatic phone call and e-mail to parent/guardian from Infinite Campus for unexcused absences
- Referral to an engagement specialist or grade-level administrator with appropriate consequences
6 or more unexcused period absences in a 9 week period
After the initial referral to an engagement specialist, successive unexcused absences result in an increase in the level of consequence.
- Student conference with an engagement specialist, school counselor and parent/guardian
- Attendance contract
- Loss of off-campus privileges, including lunch and all other periods
- Lunch detention
- In-school suspension or alternative, such as community service
- Parent/Guardian conference or home visit
- Loss of privileges to attend school athletic and social functions
- Referral to MTSS
- Referral to appropriate district agency for support
- Truancy notice
- Filing in juvenile attendance court
When a truant student younger than 16-years-old accumulates 20 absences during the school year, a Northfield social worker automatically evaluates the initiation of judicial proceedings under the Compulsory Attendance Law.
Students, 16-years-old and older, who are absent from school 20 or more consecutive days and who cannot be located, and students who are enrolled in an alternative placement, such as a day treatment program, may be withdrawn from Northfield High School.
Any student who is found off campus while their privileges are denied is required to attend the Northfield Restorative Center for the remainder of the day. A parent/guardian is contacted and an engagement specialist may decide to revoke the student’s off-campus privileges for the following nine-week period.
Tardy Policy
Being punctual is necessary for both college and career. A student is considered tardy if they are not in the classroom when the bell rings. Teachers mark students tardy within Infinite Campus within the first five minutes of a class period. After this time, students are required to go to the Main Office for a tardy pass. Students who arrive to class 15 minutes after the bell rings are marked absent.
Tardies are excused with a note or phone call from a parent/guardian at the time of arrival, and students must check in with the Attendance Office up on arrival. Excessive excused tardies, seven within a nine week period, may result in a referral to an engagement specialist.
Unexcused Tardies:
- Four unexcused tardies: Students receive a lunch detention the next day and a parent/guardian is notified.
- Five unexcused tardies: Students receive a lunch detention and mandatory study hall during their free period for one week.
- Six or more tardies: Students receive a lunch detention, study hall, and they lose all off-campus privileges.
These counts and consequences reset every nine weeks.
DPS Policy Information
For a detailed description of DPS’ policies regarding attendance, conduct, discipline, health-safety, and interscholastic activities, please download the DPS Parent Handbook.
Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-33-102, provides that school districts establish policies for attendance. DPS/ board policy JE directs that schools develop specific guidelines and policies for student attendance. Northfield aligns to district policies.
Make-up Work for Excused and School-Related Absences
The student or family is responsible for initiating make-up work when absent. For each excused absence or school activity absence, students are permitted two-days (48 hours) to complete and submit course work unless other arrangements are made with a teacher. Teachers may decide to give equivalent work, not necessarily identical assignments given to students who were present in class. It is up to a teacher’s discretion whether or not an unexcused student is allowed to make up missed work. Students who are attend a school activity may make arrangements with teachers to turn in work before their absences.
If a student is unable to participate in a physical education class due to an injury, a note signed by the parent must be given to the class teacher in advance. If a student fails to participate in a class two or more consecutive times, a doctor’s note is required. If non-participation becomes excessive, a doctor’s note may be required for each day of non-participation.
Missing Assignments
It is the student’s responsibility to meet promptly with a teacher to discuss a plan of action to resolve missing coursework. If late assignments are accepted by the teacher, coursework is only be accepted within one week of the assignment due date. All missing coursework is recorded in the teacher’s grade book as a “zero” or “m” until the agreements of the action plan is met. If the agreements of the action-plan are not met, the coursework grade permanently reflects the grade of zero in the grade book.
Homework Request for extended absences
Students who are on an extended absence for more than three days due to illness or other approved reasons, may request make-up work from their teachers.