State law requires daily attendance at school. Success in school is linked closely with being in the classroom, joining in class discussion, and doing work on a regular basis. Only in the classroom can students take full advantage of classmates’ ideas, teacher explanation of assignments, and other material that enriches learning. There is no way to duplicate the classroom experience after a student has been absent. While daily attendance is required, students may occasionally miss school for the following reasons:

• Serious illness or death in the family (inform the school as soon as reasonably possible).
• Court appearance.
• Doctor or dental appointments.
• Pre-arranged college visits (must be made two days in advance).

• The parent/legal guardian should call the school at (847) 755-6640 to report student absences no later than 10:00 A.M. on the day of the absence.
• We have staff available to receive calls from Spanish-speaking parents. Parents are encouraged to leave a voicemail during non-school hours.
• For students in the pre-paid lunch program, the parent/legal guardian needs to contact the school before 8:00 AM to avoid being charged for that day’s meals.
• Please note that whether or not the absence is excused will be at the discretion of the Director.
• Please see the section entitled “Attendance Policy” under “Program Info” for more Information about excused absences.
• Parents are urged to schedule doctor/dentist appointments after 3:15 P.M. or on nonattendance school days.
• Work hours for those students with jobs should not be scheduled before the end of the established school day.

If students have excessive absences during the semester, students may audit the class but will lose the opportunity to earn credit for the course(s) in which they are enrolled, regardless of excused or unexcused absences. This determination will be discussed during a student IEP or team meeting. If absences exceed 15 days, parents may be required to provide a doctor’s excuse/explanation.

In the case of excessive absences, the student’s IEP team will work with parents to develop strategies and interventions to improve attendance. Included in the interventions are the possibility of truancy tickets issued by the Hoffman Estates Police Department and a special pick-up by district personnel and student group members. These pick-ups must be approved by the program administrator.