Attendance News For Families
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Attendance Matters
Student attendance at school matters! Attendance at school is state law. Attendance is very important and absent students have an increasing probability of absences impacting their learning. Attendance can also result in a middle school student being required to attend our summer school. Poor attendance could potentially increase the possibility that students will not earn a high school diploma. Attendance also matters for parents who are responsible for making sure their children are at school.
All South Carolina public schools must follow the state’s attendance laws cited in Regulation Number R-43-274. For middle schools a student must attend schools 170 days (not miss more than 10 days for any reason) in order to be promoted to the next grade level and if your child does not attend 170 days may be required to make up time in Saturday School or enroll in our Summer School.
Per district policy, If a child has more than 10 absences of any kind, excused or unexcused, GMS will be requiring medical documentation for any additional absences and will no longer accept parent notes due to the excessive absences. In addition there have been changes to the district policy on this important matter. Under the new policy, South Carolina students are “absent” if they miss 50% of their instructional day for ANY reason, regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused. THIS MEANS SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PICKENS COUNTY STUDENTS, ALONG WITH ALL OTHER SC STUDENTS, NOW HAVE TO BE IN SCHOOL FOR AT LEAST HALF OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY TO BE COUNTED “PRESENT” FOR THAT DAY. If your child is signed out before 11:45 then they will not be counted "present" for that day under federal chronic absenteeism definitions.
In middle and high school, attendance is based on class periods. For example, if a student attends five of eight periods, he/she is marked present in five and absent in three. This student would be marked present for the day based on the policy's 50% definition. If the student attends three of eight periods, he or she is marked present in three and absent in five. When the total minutes for the absent classes are greater than 50% of the instructional day, the student is marked absent for the day based on the policy's definition.
If the middle and high school students’ daily attendance reflect an absence, the student will not earn credit for the day for perfect attendance.In addition, attendance will be taken during EVERY CLASS PERIOD at the middle and high school level. If a student reaches a certain number of unexcused absences in any particular class, they will not meet the state-mandated attendance requirement, and will receive a failing grade for that class. Students must be present for at least half of the period to be counted present.
Our state's new policy is the result of guidance from the U.S. Office of Civil Rights, and the South Carolina Department of Education is now requiring all SC school districts to report students who are “chronically absent”. Research shows that students with a history of “chronic absenteeism” face a serious risk of falling behind in school, making it more difficult for them to succeed.We appreciate your understanding as we adhere to these new SC school attendance requirements. Please help us make attendance a priority in the future.
Attendance Matters on Fridays and Mondays Too!
Stay Connected with GMS!
Gettys Middle School
Email: mikecory@pickens.k12.sc.us
Website: http://gms.pickens.k12.sc.us/
Location: 510 South Pendleton Street, Easley, SC, USA
Phone: 864-397-3900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gettysmiddleschool/
Twitter: @Gettys_Middle