LIVINGSTON PARISH ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR STUDENTS
The Livingston Parish School Board believes regular attendance in the school accompanied by the responsibility to study and participate in school activities is essential to the learning process. Once a pupil arrives at school, he/she is expected to remain and attend each class throughout the day. Students will make up all work missed when absent. It is the student’s responsibility to check with their teacher(s) to receive missed work. Students will have the same number of days to complete missed work (including tests), that they were absent. Tests and assignments that are not completed during this time period will be given a zero (0) in the grade book.
Elementary and secondary students shall be present the minimum number of days as required by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Exception can be made only in the event of extended personal illness verified by a physician's statement or if other extenuating circumstances exist and are approved by the Supervisor of Child Welfare in consultation with the school principal. Currently, the state's attendance policies require elementary students to be in attendance at least 160 days per school year.
All absentees require a written excuse, to be turned in to the child’s teacher within 24 hours of the day he returns. All excuses are kept on file. This note must contain the student’s name, the date or dates of the absences, the reason for the absence, and the signature of the a physician. If the child did not go to the doctor then the parent/guardian must send a written note to the homeroom teacher with the above information. State guidelines excuse only illnesses, family death and family emergencies. All other absences will be unexcused.
When a child has been absent from school in excess of a total of five nonconsecutive days the school shall make a referral to the appropriate agency to investigate chronic absences.
All students shall be under the jurisdiction of the school during normal school hours, from the time the student arrives at school each day until he/she leaves the school campus in the afternoon. In case a student rides a bus, he/she shall be under the jurisdiction of the school from the time he/she boards the bus until the student exits the bus in the afternoon. Students shall be under the jurisdiction of the school while attending any school sponsored activity either at school or away from school. This shall apply to all students, including athletic teams, pep clubs, band and other student organizations. In disciplinary matters, the Board's authority may extend beyond the limits set forth above, in accordance with state law. Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:221, 17:226, :227; Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, State Department of Education; Board minutes, 6-77, 2-79, 1-80, 8-81, 9-83, 3-84, 6-87, 9-91.