Attending school regularly and punctually is an important factor in successful achievement of learning objectives. A student’s enrollment in a given course involves a social contract in which each student is obliged to contribute to, as well as benefit from, the learning experience of the class as a whole. Irregular attendance curtails the student’s ability to contribute and often hinders the progress of the class through efforts to "catch-up". As trends towards a greater emphasis on examinations continue, class attendance becomes even more important. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that the expectations of each course, outlined by the teacher, are met. Teachers are required to monitor student attendance and to take appropriate measures to deal with unsatisfactory attendance. Such measures may include contacting parents where the student is not of legal age.

ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

An excusable absence is defined as follows:

1) absence due to illness and/or medical/dental appointment

2) absence due to family bereavement

3) absence due to field trips and other school related activities

4) i) absence for which adequate reasons are presented to the school administration for approval well in advance of their occurrence and

ii) absence which is deemed necessary in the judgment of the school administration

All other absences may be judged inexcusable.

All absences will require a written note or a phone call from parents. The onus is on the student and the parent to make sure that excusable absences are verified in writing. Failure to do so will result in the absence being recorded as inexcusable.

It is mandatory for students who are absent from school during a test to present a letter with parental signature to confirm the reason for the absence. If the student fails to produce the written excuse on the first day after returning to school, he/she will forfeit the rights to a supplementary test and will be assigned a zero for the test in question.  Upon receipt of a note/letter, the student can expect to write the exam on his/her first day back in school. All supplementary tests should be written within three school days after returning.