At LCCS, we view every day as an essential learning opportunity.  Therefore, we expect excellent attendance of all of our students.  Student attendance becomes a pattern and missing school regularly not only is detrimental to a child’s learning, but also can create poor learning habits. In addition, a child’s poor attendance is detrimental to the school.  For everyday a child does not attend, LCCS loses vital state funds that help to run the educational program at school.  A child is considered absent when he/she is not in school. We also believe that a child is sick and cannot operate at school or has a communicable illness, that it may be best for the child to stay at home to rest and recover. 

Students are required to make up any and all work missed during their absence. Students are responsible for contacting teachers for making up work missed during any absence, regardless of the reason. In order to participate in any extra-curricular after school or evening activity, students must be present at school the entire day, and may not leave school before the regular dismissal time without prior approval of an administrator.

Absences Policy
Excused Absences
Excused absences are absences where a student is too ill to report to school or has a medical, legal, dental appointment or a death in the family.  All absences require appropriate documentation, i.e. note from home, a note from a doctor or medical facility, court documents, etc. If appropriate documentation is not provided, the absence will be considered unexcused (see below). 

A parent or caring adult must notify the school the same day of absence by telephone, letter, fax, e-mail, or in person.  Please do your best to inform of us an absence by 8:30 a.m.  If the school is not notified and the student does not report to school the next day with a note, the absence will be considered unexcused (see below). 

If a child exceeds ten excused absences, the school will require a conference between parent, student, and administration to devise an action plan for ensuring the child does not fall behind in school. The school office should be informed promptly if your child has a communicable disease so that we can notify other parents, if necessary.

Unexcused Absences
There will be a limit to the number of unexcused absences allowed. Consequences for unexcused absences are detailed below.

Total Absences
While reasons do exist for being absent, excessive absences (either excused or unexcused) inhibit learning.  Therefore, a student will be retained at their current grade level for the following year if the student is absent for more than thirty six (36) days in any year.

Tardy Policy
School begins at 8:30 a.m. each day at 345 12th Street and 8:45 a.m. each day at 1600 Broadway.  All students are expected to arrive at school on time.  A student is considered tardy if he or she is late to school (after 8:30 at 345 12th Street or after 8:45 a.m. at 1600 Broadway).  A student must report to the office if he or she is late for school.

Tardiness is only excused if a student has a medical, dental, legal appointment or there has been a death in the family.  Traffic, oversleeping, missing the bus are all UNEXCUSED tardies.  All excused tardies require appropriate documentation, such as a note from the doctor. There will be a limit to the number of unexcused tardies allowed.

Short-Term Independent Study (STIS)
We do not recommend that you take your child out of school for any reasons, but if you must take your child out of school for something like an extended trip or a prolonged illness, we strongly recommend you put your child on Short-Term Independent Study. The length of STIS may be from one day to no more than four weeks.

There are a variety of reasons to request STIS.  Most students who apply for STIS are out of the country or state during their STIS term to participate in cultural, religious, or family events.  Another common application for STIS is for students with behavioral issues.  Occassionally, removing a student from one class setting to a home or other educational placement is more appropriate.  Finally, another STIS application is for students who have periodic health episodes that may result in frequent absences, i.e. asthma, serious allergies, etc.  Also, a student may be recovering from an injury that does not require hospitalization, but precludes daily attendance at school.

Any student who participates in STIS must complete the appropriate school assignments, and meets with the supervising teacher upon return will be counted present at the school for the STIS period.  The student’s parent or guardian must fill out the application and agreement for STIS and must supervise the student’s work during the student’s participation in STIS.  Average Daily Attendance (ADA) while on STIS is accrued to the school. 

In order to fully complete STIS, a student must complete the following hours of home work: 

• Kindergarten:        2 hours of homework per day (10 hours per week)
• Grades 1 – 5:        3 hours of homework per day (15 hours per week)
• Grades 6 – 12:      4 hours of homework per day (20 hours per week)

If the student does not complete their Agreement according to the terms for a portion or all of the time enrolled in STIS, the student will marked absent for the corresponding days.  The consequences of such absences (partial or the entire period) shall be the same for any other student.  This could result in disenrollment from the school.

If your child requires STIS, please inform the school at least one week in advance.  See the Office Manager for application forms.