1.         In order to earn credit in a 1/2 unit course (one semester course), a student must be absent no more than ten days during the semester in which the course was taken.

2.         In order to earn credit in a full unit course (yearly course), a student must be absent no more than twenty days during the school year.

3.         An absence due to illness, or the illness of a student’s dependent, will not be counted against these ten or twenty days, provided a doctor’s note is submitted to the principal.  The note from the doctor must specifically give the days the student is to be absent from school, and must be submitted to the principal within three school days following the student’s return to school.

4.            Absences due to death in the immediate family will not count against the ten days or twenty day limit.  These absences must be cleared and approved with the principal.  Documentation such as a funeral brochure/program or newspaper obituary is required and should be submitted within three school days following the student’s return to school.  Immediate family includes grandparents, parents, brother, sister, stepbrothers, and stepsisters.

5.            Absences due to court attendance where the student is party or under subpoena will not count against the ten days or twenty day limit.  Documentation such as a court excuse is required and should be submitted within three school days following the student’s return to school.

6.            Parents shall be notified when a student is absent from class.  After three absences, not verified by doctor’s note or not resulting from death in the immediate family or a required court appearance, a letter must be sent from the principal to the parent notifying of the absences.

7.         When a student has exceeded five absences, the DeSoto County Attendance Officer shall be notified in writing by the school principal.

8.         A student is considered to be tardy when he/she is not in class at the scheduled time.  Three incidents of tardiness to class will be considered as equal to one absence.

9.         A student must consult the teacher on the day he/she returns to class following an absence to make arrangements to make up any work missed.

10.       At the end of a semester, a student may be excused from the final examination in a course if he/she has a “C” average or above and has not missed more than two days prior to the days designated for exams.

11.        Absences due to suspensions are counted against the exemption policy.  Days spent in ALC are counted against the student toward the exemption policy.