STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Students who attend school regularly derive the maximum benefit from the instructional program. The primary responsibility for attendance falls on the individual student and their parent(s). The Colorado School Attendance Act 22‐33‐104 (5)(a), C.R.S. states, “The general assembly hereby declares that two of the most important factors in ensuring a child’s educational development are parental involvement and parental responsibility. The general assembly further declares that it is the obligation of every parent to ensure that every child under such parent’s care and supervision receives adequate education and training. Therefore, every parent of a child who has attained the age of six years and is under the age of seventeen years shall ensure that such child attends the public school in which such child is enrolled in compliance with this section.”
In the interest of the Sargent School District maintaining accurate records regarding attendance of a school as mandated by the Colorado Compulsory School Attendance Act, (C.R.S. 22‐33‐107), parents are required to excuse the absence of their child from class, either orally or in writing, within 48 hours of the class(es) missed. This includes students who are 18 years of age. Failure to do so will result in the absence permanently being classified as unexcused.
EXCUSED ABSENCES
One criteria of a student’s success in school is regular and punctual attendance. Student absences interfere with the learning process. As per attendance policy JH, the maximum number of unexcused absences a student may occur before judicial proceedings (habitually truant status) are initiated to enforce compulsory attendance is ten (10) during any school year. In addition, the school administrator may deny grade promotion if the student has accumulated ten (10) or more absences for the school year.
At 7:55 am, all outside doors will be locked down with the exception of the front entrance. After 7:55am, please enter through the main office doors. Please contact the office by 8:30am (by email or phone) to report your child’s absence.
Reasons that will be “excused” include:
Temporary illness
Injury
Funeral/Death of a family member
Medical/Dental appointment with note
Court appearance
Out of school suspension
Work study program approved by the district
Observing a religious holiday/celebration/event
*Note: School‐sponsored activity(ies) of an educational nature are NOT counted as absences.
As applicable, the district may require suitable proof regarding the above exceptions, including written statements from medical sources (Policy JH/JH-R).
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
An unexcused absence is defined as an absence that is not covered by one of the foregoing exceptions. Each unexcused absence shall be entered on the student’s attendance record. Parents/Guardians of students will find a record of their student’s excused/unexcused absences online on the “Parent Portal.” The Sargent School District encourages parents, guardians, and students to check attendance weekly.
In accordance with law, the district may impose appropriate penalties that relate directly to classes missed while unexcused. Penalties may include a warning, school detention, school-community service, in-school suspension at the discretion of the building principal.
Reasons that will be considered unexcused include:
Vacationing/trips out of town
Caring for younger sibling or relative
Transportation difficulties
No communication regarding absence with school within 48 hours
Reasons other than those mentioned under excused absences (Policy JH/JH-R)
CONSEQUENCES FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES (DAY OR PERIOD)
2nd Unexcused Absence: Warning and a letter will be sent to parent/guardian.
3rd Unexcused Absence: Parent/School/Student meeting to discuss a solution. Students will serve one hour of detention or community service.
4th Unexcused Absence: 2nd Parent/School/Student meeting to create an attendance contract. Student will serve two hours of detention or community service.
5th Unexcused Absence: After a cumulative of five (5) unexcused absences, the student will be considered habitually truant and the administration may pursue judicial proceedings to enforce Colorado’s Compulsory Attendance Laws. Excessive unexcused absences could also result in academic probation and/or disenrollment.
As a reminder, students may not accumulate more than five (5) absences in any one semester or more than ten (10) in an entire school year, per Colorado Compulsory Attendance Law.
NOTE: We no longer honor discretionary days in order to be compliant with the Colorado Compulsory Attendance Law.
NOTE: Sargent Schools are NOT an online schooling/distance learning platform. In-person schooling is the platform we are qualified to teach.
REPORTING ABSENCES
If a student is unable to attend school, a parent or guardian must call the school at
(719) 852-4025 and/or send a written note or e-mail to the school secretary to notify us of the absence. Any doctor’s excuse or other documentation must be submitted to the office within two
(2) school days after the return of the student to school.
NOTE:
A call or parent note does not automatically give the student an excused absence. 
