Boulder High School Attendance
Attendance Office: 303-447-5300

Boulder High School Attendance Policy

Consistent attendance in every class, every day is central to a student's academic success. Regular attendance is the responsibility of the student. Participation in school experiences is significant to a student's development. Students are expected to be in attendance every day school is in session.

All absences have a negative effect on instructional continuity, regardless of the cause of the absence or the attempts to make up work missed. The school cannot teach pupils who are not present and the classroom experience can never be duplicated with assignments outside of school. Regular interactions of pupils with one another in the classroom and their participation in a well-planned instructional activity under the tutelage of a competent teacher are fundamental requirements of a sound educational program.

Parents sometimes believe that they may excuse an absence for any reason as long as they (the parent) approve. By policy and state statute, this is not the case. It is important for parents to adhere to these standards. Students should not miss class nor be excused for missing class except for the reasons listed below.

EXCUSED ABSENCE

Excused Absences as defined by BVSD Board of Education Policy and Regulation JED-R

1. Temporary illness or injury.
2. An absence which is approved by the administrator of the school of attendance.
3. Extended absences due to physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
4. An absence which occurs when the student is in the custody of a court or law enforcement authorities.
5. Emergency, serious illness, or death in the family.
6. Medical and dental appointments which cannot be scheduled outside the regular school day.
7. Extremely inclement weather.
8. Absence directly related to the primary handicapping condition of an identified disabled student.
9. Participation in religious observances.
10. An absence resulting from participation in a work-study program under the supervision of a public school.

Documentation is required to excuse a student when the student has nine or more absences

The principal may require verification (documentation, such as a physician's statement) when deemed appropriate to determine whether an absence is excused or to excuse absences after a student has a total of nine absences, regardless of reason, in a class or classes. (This total of nine includes excused and unexcused absences but does not include absences for school related activities.)

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE

Any absence for a reason not listed above is considered an unexcused absence.

The facts about an unexcused absence.

1. Students do not receive a grade for grades recorded on the day of an unexcused absence. A zero is recorded for any homework, test, or project that is due on the day of an unexcused absence.
2. There is no loss of credit for a class with four or fewer unexcused absences. Students with more than four unexcused absences in a given class, during one semester, will lose credit for the class.

Loss of credit is calculated as follows:

• 5 unexcused absences - the student earns only four credits for the class
• 6 unexcused absences - the student earns only three credits for the class
• 7 unexcused absences - the student earns only two credits for the class
• 8 unexcused absences - the student earns only one credit for the class
• 9 or more unexcused absences - the student earns NO credit for the class

Notification of Absence by Parent

Parents must notify the school within 48 hours of an absence in order for it to be excused. Preferably, notification will occur on the same day as the absence. The BHS attendance phone is 303-447-5300.

Pre-Arranged Absences

Pre-arranged absence forms are available from this web page or in the attendance office and should be completed prior to any of the following types of absences. The pre-arranged absence form must be completed by the teachers, and signed by parents before final approval. Such absences that are not pre-arranged will not be excused. Pre-arranged absences may necessitate a parent conference. Whether class work is made-up prior to the absence or upon return is contingent on teacher preference and other circumstances. The school administrator may excuse absences on a pre-arranged basis in the following circumstances:

1. Interviews with college admissions officials.
2. Interviews with career employer representatives.
3. Special family activities.
4. Extenuating circumstances determined by the principal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When I am absent, how and when do I make-up the work?

A: It is the responsibility for the student to talk with the teacher, upon return from the absence, to get the make-up work. The teacher will then establish a reasonable timeline for the work to be completed and turned-in. It is important that students review each teacher's make-up policies for tests and homework as classroom policies vary from teacher to teacher. The procedure for make-up work for a pre-arranged absence is delineated on the pre-arranged absence form. There is no policy that says a student has two days for every day missed to make-up work. Students are encouraged to make-up work after an unexcused absence in order to stay current academically, but no grades are issued for make-up work due to unexcused absences.

Q: If I oversleep, can that be excused?

A: No. You must use one of the four unexcused absences for oversleeping, even if it is due to a power outage or circumstances beyond your control.

Q: I want to skip a class to study for a test in a class I have later that day. Can I do that?

A: This is unethical. Students should plan their study time so that a situation like this does not arise. If you do this, you must take the unexcused absence for the class you are missing.

Q: What if I feel sick during the school day and skip a class until I feel better?

A: Students who feel ill after they arrive at school should check in to the nurse's office. A parent must also excuse the absence, but by checking into the nurse's office, the illness is documented. Single period absences for illness will not be excused unless the student has checked into the nurse's office.

Q: What if I am losing credit for a class but I want a second chance.

A: There is an appeal process. You should see the assistant principal in charge of attendance. The student should check with his/her counselor to explore other options for regaining lost credit.

Q: If I lose credit for a class, then what?

A: If you need the class for graduation, you must make the credit up in Connections, night school, or summer school. It is best to see your counselor for the best available option. If the class is an elective, you may chose whether or not you want to make-up the credit.

Q: Is it possible to pass a class and not get any credit for it even if I passed the class?

A: Yes! If you exceeded the allowable number of unexcused absences, the grade will appear on your transcript but partial or no credit will also be indicated.

Q: Why can't a parent excuse a student for any reason the parent deems appropriate?

A: The spirit of the state compulsory attendance laws and BVSD attendance policies are that students must be in school. The exceptions are listed above in the section on excused absences. Reasons other than these are not deemed valid by law and policy.