Student success is directly linked to attendance. When your child is absent/tardy, he/she misses instruction. Instruction takes place daily from 7:40 AM—2:10 PM. Attendance is tracked very closely. Parents are contacted when chronic attendance problems arise.  

Excused absences are defined by law and in the rules of the Georgia Board of Education.  Students enrolled in the District shall be excused from attending school in the following circumstances:

1.  Personal illness;

2.  Death or illness in the immediate family;

3.  Religious holidays;

4.  Instances where attendance by the student will be hazardous;

5. Tests and physical exams for military service and the National Guard;

6. Students eligible to vote in a public election may be allowed no more than one day for registering to vote or voting in a public election; or  

7.  A student whose parent or legal guardian serving in the U.S. military may be allowed up to five days per school year to visit with the parent or legal guardian either prior to the parent or legal guardian’s deployment or while the parent or guardian is on leave from deployment.

Additionally, students shall be marked present and not counted as absent in the following circumstances:

1.  Students serving as pages of the Georgia General Assembly shall be counted as present for days missed from school for such service; and

2. Students in foster care shall be counted present when attending court proceedings relating to their foster care. With proper medical verification, a student may be eligible for hospital/homebound instruction as outlined in Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-4-2-.31 governing hospital/homebound instruction.

 

No student should be admitted to class after being absent from school the previous day unless the student holds a legitimate excuse signed by the parent or guardian stating a reason for the absence.  If the student does not present an excuse, the principal may use discretion in handling the situation.  Admission to class in the case of tardiness shall be handled in the same manner.

The Superintendent or his or her designee shall establish procedures aimed at reducing unexcused absences, tardiness, and truancy.  Such procedures shall include, but not be limited to, parental notification, and shall be set out annually in the Code of Student Conduct.

School days missed as a result of an out-of-school suspension shall not count as unexcused days for the purpose of determining student truancy, and provisions for make-up work shall be provided. 

To be marked present and on time, students must be in the building by the 7:40 AM bell. The school uses atomic clocks to accurately keep time in the building. Students arriving after 7:40 AM must enter through the front of the building, escorted by their parent/guardian, to receive their tardy pass. Smoke Rise follows the DeKalb County School District’s chronic tardiness policy.

Each student will be responsible for completing all missed assignments when they are absent from school. Once the student returns to school, an arrangement must be made by the parent/student with the teacher(s) to obtain the make-up assignment. All missed assignments must be completed in a timely manner provided from the teacher(s). 

Try and schedule personal appointments before or after school hours. Please send a note to your child’s teacher if they must leave for an appointment. Please check your child out at the front office. Students who leave early must be signed out by a parent/guardian. To be counted present for the day, a student must be in attendance at school for 3 hours and 15 minutes.