Absences and Excuses

Students are expected to attend class regularly, to be on time in order to benefit maximally from the instructional program, and to develop habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility.

In order to assure acceptable school attendance, the DeSoto County Board of Education has adopted the following policy:

  1. An absence due to illness will not be counted against these days provided a doctors's note is submitted to the office within three days of the student's return to school. The doctor's note must have the specific days absent written on the note.
  2. Absences due to death in the immediate family will not count against these days provided a funeral announcement or obituary is brought to school within three days of the absence.
  3. An ABSENCE is defined as missing 20 minutes or more from a class. A TARDY is defined as missing less than 20 minutes in a class.  Three tardies in the same class equal one absence.
  4. The Phone Master should notify parents each day a student is absent from class.
  5. It is the student's responsibility to consult with the teacher the day he/she returns to class to schedule any make up work.
  6. At the end of a semester, a student may be exempt from exams if he/she has no more than two absences (regardless of whether they are excused or unexcused) and an 85 average.
  7. Absences due to suspensions are counted against the student for exemption purposes only.