Attendance Office Hours:
Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

A 24-hour voicemail is also available.

Please leave your student's name, ID number, date, and reason for the absence.

Philosophy
(ref. Board Policy Section 7:70)

The Board of Education authorizes the administration to develop and enforce procedures, which ensure regular student attendance and accurate accounting for student absences. Attendance at school is required by state law. Attending class, completing work, and contributing in class, all on a regular basis are important to success in school.  Only in the classroom can the student take full advantage of fellow classmates’ ideas, the teacher’s explanations, and other material that enriches the academic experience.

Authorized or Unauthorized Absences from school
A student whose absence is authorized or unauthorized will be permitted to make up the work missed. Credit given for such work will be appropriate to the nature of the work missed and to the quality of the make-up work. The teacher will establish reasonable time limits for its completion.

Authorized Absences
Absences for "valid cause" which include but are not limited to the following:

Death in the immediate family
Family emergency (Reviewable)*;
Court appearance (by subpoena) or placement;
Religious observances;
Parent indicating student is ill (Reviewable)*;
Administrative discretion;
Medical (a documented, health related absence, i.e., medical or dental appointment);
Field Trip (one or more periods of instructionally related absences approved by the school administration, which follow district field trip guidelines);
Administrative (one or more periods of administratively-approved absence);
Health or office visit;
Student services division approved activity;
Administrator conference;
College representative session;
Pre-arranged college campus visit with college official (documented);
Work program-related job interview;
Administratively approved school activity (or activities);
Testing program;
Approved Armed Forces recruiter visit.
 

Excessive absences (10 or more) will result in parental contact by the division head (dean) and/or counselor.

Unauthorized Absences
Any absence caused by a failure to follow prescribed school procedures or reasons not accepted by the school. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

Failure to sign in or sign out
Oversleeping
Missed school bus
Car trouble
Late call
Excessive parent calls
Undocumented health-related absences
Pre-Approved Family Related Activity days exceeding the pre-approved limit
 

NOTE: After three unauthorized absences in any class, subsequent unauthorized absences will be designated as CUTS/TRUANCY (unexcused), and the student will move to the appropriate step in the cut/truancy policy. Any unauthorized absence is reviewable by the individual school’s administration.

Going Home Sick
Students who become ill or injured during the school day must access the School Nurse in the Health Office before they go home.  The nurse will then determine whether the student must go home due to illness.  If the nurse decides the student should go home, she (or her designee) will contact the parent/guardian.  At that time,it will be established at that time how the student will be transported home.  The nurse will instruct the student to go to their locker to obtain their belongings and  then the Attendance Office to sign out.  Failure to follow this procedure may result in the issuance of an unexcused absence and possible disciplinary action.

If a student wants to come to school during a day in which they have previously been called out, a call from the parent/guardian must be received in the Attendance Office PRIOR to the student’s arrival back in school.  It may be necessary upon their arrival for the school nurse to evaluate the health of the student to ensure they are well enough to be in school.

Unexcused absences from school
A student whose absence is unexcused will be permitted to make up the work missed. Credit given for such work will be at the discretion of the teacher who will establish reasonable time limits for its completion.

Class Cut: Absence from an assigned period or periods without "valid cause."

Truancy: Absence from class without "valid cause" for five (5) or more periods, or less than 150 minutes in attendance during a regular school day. Truancy is an illegal absence from school for a portion of a school day or more.  Truant students are subject to the same cut/ truancy policy as well as additional school penalties and prosecution under the local ordinance prohibiting truancy from school.

Single Period Absences
We will not accept "parent excused calls" for students missing one or more classes, if the student is still in the building.  If a parent or guardian calls in to excuse their student for the class time, we expect that your student will be with you.  While the students are on our campus they need to be accounted for during each of their scheduled classes.  Extenuating circumstances may require approval from the Division Head (Dean).

Attendance Codes
Excused Absences
PEX = Excused parental absence for illness, medical & dental appointment
LTE = Tardy, arrives to class within the first fifteen minutes without a pass
MED = Excused absence for illness, written documentation from doctor/dentist
EXE = Excused absence by parent request, non-medical reasons
ADM = Absence excused by Administration/school personnel
FT = Absence due to participation in an approved field trip
VAC = Vacation
HOM = Homebound
Unexcused Absences
CUT = Class cut
UNV = Absence is not accounted for, unauthorized within 48 hours
OSS = Absence due to out-of-school suspension
ISS = Absence due to in-school suspension
Unauthorized Absences
UNA = Did not follow procedures
After two unauthorized "UNA" absences in any class, subsequent unauthorized absences will be designated as unexcused, and the student will move to the appropriate step on the attendance policy.
Additional Considerations
Students will not be excused from one class to complete assignments for another class. Excessive single period absences will not be excused as determined by the Dean of Students. Students may be asked to provide documentation from a health professional verifying that they had an appointment that prevented school attendance.

Students who have been called in for an excused absence (medical, vacation, etc.) by their parent or guardian may not be on the property without permission from the Dean.

Students 17 years and older may be denied enrollment or re-enrollment in accordance with the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/26-2) Sec. 26-2

Attendance email and Automated phone call
An email is sent home every time to all parents/guardians in the event that a student should receive an unverified absence during the school day. An unverified absence is an absence from class that has yet to be determined. If you have more than one student attending Prospect, the email will list the first and last name of the student with the unverified absence. The phone call will state that the student has missed one or more classes during the school day. It is important that parents or guardians call the attendance office as soon as possible if the absence can be excused. Please read the entire section in the handbook under attendance and review the specific attendance codes listed in the Student Handbook to aid in your understanding of the procedures. When in doubt, the student should consult the classroom teacher who marked the student absent. If the student was marked absent in error, once the teacher verifies the attendance, the classroom teacher will notify the attendance office to make the change in the student’s attendance record.

If your email or home phone changes, please let your student counselor know as soon as possible.