Dear Parents:
As we begin the second semester, we would like to recap district attendance and truancy policies for you.  According to the State of Ohio, each student is permitted to have a total of 10 days of absences (excused and/or unexcused) each school year.

After 7 days of absences – whether excused or unexcused – you will receive a letter alerting you that your son or daughter is quickly approaching the 10-day limit.

 After 11 days of absences (excused or unexcused), you will receive notification by mail that your son or daughter has exceeded the allotted days for absences.  At that point, unless medical documentation has been provided to the school, you may also receive a phone call from our truancy director, Mr. McClelland. The purpose of this phone call is simply to make you aware of the school’s attendance policies and procedures.

Once the 11-day letter has been sent, your son or daughter will be permitted 10 more days of absences. However, those absences will be recorded as unexcused absences unless a doctor’s note is provided.  

At this point, please keep in mind that you will be contacted by the school via our automated attendance phone calls regardless of you having called your son or daughter out sick for the day.  This phone call will serve as a reminder that the absence is considered unexcused and will only be changed to “excused” upon receipt of a doctor’s note.

Should your student reach 10 days of UNEXCUSED absences, you will be contacted by the district truancy officer.

Please note:  if your son or daughter has a medical condition, please be sure to contact his/her school’s guidance counselor or clinic assistant.  If a doctor’s note is on file, stating frequent absences may occur as a result of the medical condition, your son or daughter will be considered excused from school if the illness is due to his/her medical condition/treatment.

Additionally, if your son or daughter participates in outside activities (sports, drama, performance, etc.), you must complete and submit a Student Vacation Travel Form in advance in order for the absence to be considered excused. Your student may obtain a form from the main office, or you may also download one from our website, found under “downloads.”

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, and I thank you in advance for your support.
 
Sincerely,
 
Krista M. Kotecki
Assistant Principal
Olmsted Falls Middle School