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Attendance Updates
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As summer draws to a close and we eagerly prepare for the start of a new school year, we wanted to take a moment to remind you just how important student attendance is to your child’s success…and how much we miss our students when they are not in school with us!
Our role as educators extends beyond instruction—we are entrusted with the responsibility of in loco parentis, meaning we are committed to supporting your child’s consistent attendance and ensuring their safety and well-being. As part of our legal obligation, we are required to make reasonable efforts to track attendance, address concerns when they arise, and ensure that each child’s safety is maintained.
The team at Ramapo Indian Hills is committed to the well-being and academic success of every student. We believe that regular attendance is essential to their learning and personal growth, and we want to take this opportunity to share important updates put forth to the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District (RIHRHSD) Board regarding Regulation 5200 for the Attendance Policy.
These revisions aim to clarify attendance practices, align with state regulations, and ensure we continue to support student success. Below is a summary of the key changes:
Attendance Recording and Definitions:
- Students are considered present if they participate in at least half a day of instruction, whether in person or off-site/virtually (if this is a component of their academic plan).
- New State-Excused Absence: Students in grades 6-12 can have one state-approved absence per school year for civic events such as service learning (e.g., poll worker, participation in a Veteran’s Day event, or patriotic parade). Parents must notify the school at least five school days in advance for these absences.
- All Current State-Excused Absences remain in effect.
- Locally Excused Absences: These absences will count in the student’s total but will not count toward absence thresholds requiring school intervention. Examples include court attendance, suspension, family illness/death, job or college interviews, field trips, and driver’s license exams.
- Absences not listed as state-approved or locally-approved excused absences will count toward absence thresholds requiring intervention.
Absence Notification, Intervention, and Consequences:
- For absences of 3 or more consecutive days, a written or email note from the parent or adult student stating the reason for the absence(s) is required.
- Course credit will be denied after 16 absences for a full-year course or 8 for a semester course.
- *School Interventions must take place if a student accumulates unexcused absences:
- Up to 4 unexcused absences: Parents will be notified, and a plan for improvement will be discussed.
- Up to 12 unexcused absences: A formal action plan will be developed.
- After 16 unexcused absences: Course credit will be denied.
*Note that for semester courses, these numbers are halved to 2, 6 and 8 for interventions
- An appeal process is available for parents or adult students who wish to challenge the denial of credit due to excessive unexcused absences.
Teacher Cooperation with Home Assignments:
- Teachers will provide home assignments for students missing up to 4 consecutive days.
- For extended absences due to medical or special needs, separate terms may apply.
Regular attendance supports academic success and helps your child grow personally, emotionally, and prepare for the future. Being in school consistently opens the door to countless opportunities. We’re excited to partner with you in supporting your child’s journey this year.
Yours in Education,
Shauna C. DeMarco
Superintendent of Schools