Ditto Lunch Schedule

Pre-K: 10:30-11:00
Kindergarten: 10:45-11:15
First Grade: 11:05-11:35
Fourth Grade: 11:35-12:05
Second Grade: 12:00-12:30
Fifth Grade: 12:30-1:00
Sixth Grade: 12:45-1:15
Third Grade: 1:05-1:35

Conference Times

Specials Conference: 8:10-9:00
Sixth Grade: 9:00-9:50
Fifth Grade: 9:50-10:40
Fourth Grade: 10:45-11:35
Third Grade: 11:35-12:25
Lunch: 12:25-12:55
Kindergarten:1:00-1:50
Second Grade: 1:50-2:40
First Grade: 2:40-3:30

STUDENT ATTENDANCE POLICY

Rationale

AISD students are required to attend school on a regular basis. As a result, these students tend to achieve better grades, seek an active involvement in activities on campus and learn the skills necessary to attain success after leaving our school district. Punctuality and self-discipline are expected of all students and adults responsible for our students. Know your child’s schedule and check with the school if you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance or punctuality.

Grades Prek-8

Students in grades Pre-K-8 must adhere to the 90% attendance law. These classes are not on a block schedule; however, 90% attendance in each class or subject offered is mandatory. Nine absences or more, whether excused or unexcused, per semester exceeds the 90% attendance requirement. If a student fails to attend 90% of the days, credit can be lost and promotion to the next grade may be in jeopardy.

Compulsory School Attendance

Texas Education Code Sections 25.085(a) and (b) state that a child who is at least six years of age, or who is younger than six years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and has not reached the child’s 19th birthday shall attend school each school day for the entire period the program of instruction is provided. Upon enrollment in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten, a child shall attend school under the same 90% attendance rules as all other students.

Tardies

Students are expected to support the learning process by attending all classes regularly and on time. Each campus will develop and publish its own tardy rules.

  • First semester has approximately 85 days
  • Second semester has approximately 89 days

Absences

If any parent of a school age child 12 years of age or older fails to send the child to school as required by law, a warning shall be issued by the school and/or the attendance officer that attendance is immediately required. If after a warning the parent fails to send the child to school as required by law and the child has unexcused 87 voluntary absences, the parent commits an offense. Family Code §§ 65.002-.003 Education Code §25.093 The parent and/or child shall be prosecuted if the child fails to attend school without excuse on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year. Education Code §25.094951 (a) The district attendance officer may file a complaint in court against the parent or child when truancy occurs. Fines range from $100 to $500 per day that the child remains truant from school. Other results of truancy can be:

  • Suspension of a child’s driver’s license or permit, or if the child does not have a license or permit, to deny the issuance of a license or permit for a period of 180 days or until the last day of the school year in which the order is entered, whichever is longer. Family Code § 54.042.
  • Require the student to complete certain education programs, complete a GED, or perform community service. Family Code § 65.103.
  • The parent or other adult found to have contributed to the child’s truancy may be ordered to attend classes, pay for classes for the student, and/or perform up to 50 hours of community service. Family Code § 65.105.

Parental Consent Required

A parent or guardian must provide verbal or written consent to the attendance office prior to their child being approved to leave during the school day. Written consent will be verified. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to call the school each day of absence by 10 a.m. to explain the absence of the student. The purpose in notifying the school is to promote that both the school and the family are aware that we can account for each student. All absences not cleared within 24 hours are unexcused. Upon the student’s return, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian of a secondary student to call the school by 10:00 a.m. to explain the absence. If the student had a medical appointment, the note shall be turned into the appropriate attendance office. The parent or guardian of an elementary student is encouraged to send a written note on the first day the student returns to school.

Decisions on Absences/Tardies

An unexcused absence/tardy is subject to corrective action. Any absence or tardy, regardless of the number, will be considered and dealt with on its own merit.

Attendance Committee Hearing

Classroom teachers shall comprise a majority of the attendance committee. The attendance committee shall hear each case in which a student’s attendance falls below the 90% threshold and a petition by the student or his or her parent or legal guardian has been filed. The committee may give class credit to a student because of extenuating circumstances according to policies adopted by the Board that establish ways for a student to make up work or regain credit lost because of absences [Board Policy FEC (Local)] http://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Code/1098?filter=FEC

Unexcused Absences

Students who miss school without having an excused absence may not receive credit for work in the class missed during the unexcused absence.

Make-Up-Work

A student whose absence is excused shall be allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed. It is the student’s responsibility to secure assignments and to make up all work due to excused/extenuating circumstances. Failure to complete such assignments within a reasonable time will result in a zero for such assignments. The AISD defines a reasonable length of time to be one day for each day missed with an excused absence.

Denial of Privilege

Parents who fail to pick up the requested assignment may be denied this courtesy by the building principal or designee. Students should complete a reasonable amount of the assignments by their return to school and fully complete all make-up work within the allotted time. Parents and students should know that if a reasonable amount of work sent home is not completed, this courtesy may be denied by the building principal or designee.

Students who have work assigned to them on a scheduled basis, such as term papers, projects, etc., should have the work ready on the due date even with an excused absence. An academic penalty (the deduction of points) may be imposed for work not submitted on the due date. Parents should understand that certain types of school work cannot be assigned to the home because of explanations by the teacher needed by the students.

Extenuating Circumstances

Observing religious holy days, including travel, when such absence is required for the exercise of a student’s religious beliefs. The parent/guardian or person having control of the student should contact the school in accordance with the district attendance policy. The extenuating circumstance provision applies to holy days, which are tenets of the religion. This provision does not apply to retreats, conventions, youth group activities, etc., unless such activities are required by the tenets of the student’s religion.

  • Temporary absence resulting from healthcare appointments, if the student returns on the same day of the appointment with documented re-entry slip from the doctor’s office. NOTE: The AISD requests that parents make every effort to schedule doctor’s appointments either before or after normal school hours; otherwise, a student should schedule appointments with the goal of minimizing time lost away from academic instruction. The attendance office is to receive an entry permit. This includes the temporary absence of a student diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The student must begin classes or return on the same day of the appointment with a health care professional to receive generally recognized services for persons with autism spectrum disorder Tex. Edu. Code § 25.087(b-3)
  • Legitimate days of illness. Excessive days or more than three consecutive days of illness require a physician’s statement.
  • Days out on school-sponsored activities.
  • Serious family emergency.
  • Death in the immediate family.
  • Participation in court proceeding or a child abuse/neglect investigation in accordance with §37.056 of the Texas Education Code (relating to court-related students).
  • Disaster, flood, extreme weather conditions, fuel curtailment or other calamity resulting in the closing of schools. Days missed by a runaway as defined by Texas Family Code §51.03 (relating to Delinquent Conduct; Conduct Indicating a Need for Supervision). A police runaway case number is required.
  • The absences of a teen parent due to caring for their child.
  • Other unusual circumstances acceptable to the building principal or Superintendent.

Vacation/Business Trips

Vacation or business trips are not recognized by the state as acceptable reasons for students being out of school and will be treated as unexcused. Therefore, these days should be planned only for school holidays that do not disrupt student learning or cause loss of credit.