Attendance

A parent or guardian should call the Attendance Office in the morning if their student will not be attending school for the day.

First Letter of Last Name:	Phone Number:
A – L	281.213.1832
M – Z	281.213.1826

If a student is absent and the Attendance Office has not been notified, the parent or guardian will receive an automated phone call of the absence.

Returning from an absence
Students are required to provide a note from a parent or guardian for each absence within three (3) days from the date of the absence or consecutive absences.  Notes received after the 3rd day is a “Late Note” (LN) which is considered unexcused.  The attendance code for not receiving a note-(NC) “No Contact”.  Notes should have the following:

• Student’s full name and grade
• Date(s) of absence(s)
• Reason for absence(s) – attach a doctor’s note, when applicable
• Parent or Guardian’s signature with a contact number

A student absent without permission from school or from any class will be considered truant and subject to disciplinary actions, which may also include court action. (CFISD Handbook, HB-7)

Arriving Late
Classes begin at 7:25 a.m.; students arriving late will go directly to their first period and teachers will mark them tardy.  Students arriving after 7:35 must sign-in at the Attendance Office.  Without a parent or guardian note, they will incur an unexcused absent in their first period.

Tardy
Attendance is taken during all 7 class periods.  A student arriving up to 10 minutes after the period bell will be considered Tardy.

Release of Students from School
A note is required requesting your student to leave school during the day; include the time of release, the person picking up the student, the reason and a contact number.  The person picking up the student must be listed on the student’s emer-gency list and is required to come into the school with a picture ID for verification with the receptionist.  Please indicate on the note if your junior/senior student drives himself/herself.

Visits to Health Care Professionals
If leaving early or arriving late to/from visits to health care professionals, the student shall be excused for temporary absence, provided a note is received and the student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of the appointment.  The note should include the date, doctor’s name and phone number.

Absences for Religious Holy Days
The District shall excuse students from attending school for the purpose of observing religious holy days when it is a tenet of their faith that they must be absent from school.  Students are required to provide a note from a parent or guardian for each absence within three days or the absence will be counted as unexcused. 

Warning Notices/Parent Notification Regarding Unexcused Absences
A parent or guardian will be notified when their student is absent from school three days or parts of days in a four-week period (court warning letter) and is absent for 10 or more days or parts of days in a six-month period (10 day absent letter) when the absences are without parental consent (unexcused absences).  Note:  NC-No Contact and LN-Late Note are unexcused absences.

Loss of Credit Due to Excessive Absences (EA)
A student may not receive credit for a class unless he/she had been in attendance for at least 90% of the days the class is offered during the semester.  If a student is in attendance for at least 75% but less than 90%, a student can be given credit for a class if the student completes a plan approved by the school principal that provides for the student to meet the requirements of the course.  Parents or guardians will be notified by mail after the student’s fifth (5th) absence in a class.  (CFISD Handbook, HB-9)

 

Fall & Spring Exam Exemptions (attendance)
A student shall have the opportunity to earn exemptions from an examination when he or she has a grade of A (90-100) or B (80-89) and has no more than five (5) absences from that course in the semester.(CFISD Handbook HB 11-12)

• Freshmen:  1 exemption per semester
• Sophomores:  2 exemption per semester
• Juniors:  3 exemptions per semester
• Seniors:  3 exemptions – fall semester, and 7 exemptions – spring semester

All students in grades 9 – 11 shall have the opportunity to earn additional exemptions from spring semester exams with a passing score on any grade-level TAKS test in that subject/course.  These exemptions shall be based on the subject-area TAKS test, grades for both semesters, and attendance for the spring semester.  A student shall be exempt from an examination when he or she has a grade of 70 or higher for each semester of the course and no more than five (5) absences (excused & unexcused) from that course in the spring semester.

• Freshmen:  2 additional exemptions - (ELA and Math)
• Sophomores:  4 additional exemptions -  (ELA, math, science, and social studies)
• Juniors:  4 additional exemptions - (ELA, math, science, and social studies)

Classes missed due to the following shall not count against a student.

• School-sponsored field trip
• College days – limited to no more than 2 days during student's junior year and 2 days for student's senior year
• Religious Holy Days – note required
• Health Care Professional Visits – note required and the student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of the appointment.