Attendance

ATTENDANCE LINE: 651-460-1505

The Farmington School District 192 and Dodge Middle school is obligated to follow the Minnesota Law on School Attendance until age 18. The Farmington Board of Education and administration believe that it is the student’s right and responsibility to be present in school.

Dodge Middle School encourages daily and regular student attendance. The school recognizes that school attendance is a shared responsibility by the student, parent, and school. Students who attend school are best prepared to perform successfully academically and socially. Research shows that academic performance and student engagement in school is directly related to college performance and later success in life. DMS supports all components within the District Student Attendance Policies and Regulations.

CONTACTING THE SCHOOL:
If a student will be absent, a parent/guardian must call Dodge Middle School’s attendance line at 651-460-1505 between 7 AM and 8:15 AM each day of the absence. We ask that parents/guardians provide the reason for the absence at the time they call. The school determines if the absence falls within the excused or unexcused parameters. If the school does not receive a call from the parent/guardian the day of the absence, the student’s absence is automatically unexcused.

PREPLANNED ABSENCES:
In order to request any of the above stated absences as pre-excused, a parent/guardian must complete the online “Request to Waive Unexcused Status of Absence” form (a link to the form is provided here or a copy can be provided in the school office). Please note that this form must be submitted at least 5 school days in advance of the absence.

EXCUSED ABSENCES:

~ Illness – student remains at home or sent home by school nurse (if a pattern of absences result due to an illness, a written medical excuse from the doctor or school nurse can be required by the school).

~ Serious illness or death in student’s immediate family.

~ Death of student’s close friend or relative.

~ Medical or dental appointments or treatment.

~ Court appearances occasioned by family or personal action.

~ Religious instruction not to exceed three hours in any week.

~ Physical emergency conditions such as fire, storm, or flood.

~ Official school field trip or other school-sponsored outing.

~ Observation of religious holiday.

~ Removal of student prior to a suspension – suspensions are treated as excused absences and students are permitted to complete make-up work.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES:

~ Any absence in which the student failed to comply with any reporting requirements of the school district attendance policies and procedures

~ Work at home

~ Work at a business, except under a school-sponsored work release program

~ Vacations – unless pre-approved form is prepared, signed and submitted to school office ahead of vacation (see link below: Request to Waive Unexcused Status of Student Absence).

~ Personal trips to colleges and universities – unless pre-approval form is prepared, signed and submitted to school office ahead of trip.

~ Three cumulated unexcused tardies to the same class period in any semester equals one unexcused absence – this may result in a parent/student meeting or an assigned in school suspension.

~ Transportation problems (students are expected to use district-wide provided busing), oversleeping, skipping classes, babysitting for siblings, friends or relatives are not excused absences.

EXCESSIVE TARDINESS AND TRUANCY:
It cannot be stressed enough the importance of students attending school. Excessive tardiness leads to absenteeism. Absenteeism can lead to excessive absenteeism and this leads to truancy. This is not a preferred position for the school or families. DMS cooperates with the Dakota County Truancy Prevention and Intervention. Upon accumulating seven (7) unexcused absences, the student is referred to the Dakota County Attorney’s office, and in turn, the School Success Project. A student may require counseling in areas such as truancy laws, time management, student responsibility, drug and alcohol related issues, and criminal risks.

INCOMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES DUE TO ABSENCES:

~ Incomplete assignments - If a student has been absent for an excused reason, that student will be given the number of school days absent plus one day to complete work assigned.

~ Incomplete grades for marking period - A student receiving an incomplete (I) grade for a quarter, semester or full-year class will have two weeks from the conclusion of the marking period to make up incomplete work.

~ Incomplete assignments not completed within the two-week period will turn into a zero. These scores will then be used to compute a final quarter grade. Work, incomplete from the beginning of a marking period, does not necessarily qualify a student for an incomplete grade.

Farmington Area Public Schools