Regular, prompt attendance is a district requirement and is essential for a student’s academic success. Attendance is the responsibility of both the students and parents, and students should be out of school only when absolutely necessary.

View the entire PHS attendance policy found in the Parent & Student Handbook. 
For Attendance Appeals, click the link in the tab above or the shaded box.

Highlights are bulleted below. 

Notification

• Parents must notify the school on the day of the absence if a student will be absent, late, or leaving school early. Students will not be permitted to leave without advance notification and must have a current year Student Sign Out Waiver on file.
• All absences are to be excused by a note, email, or a phone call within 24 hours, or they may be considered a truancy.
•  Only a parent, guardian, or emancipated student can excuse an absence.

Excused Absence

• Absences are defined by the Arizona State Department of Education (and the school district) as caused by illness, doctor appointment, mental or behavioral health, homelessness, bereavement, family emergencies, time necessary to process for the armed forces, family vacation/out of town, court order absence or out-of-school suspensions.
• Count toward the 9 absences allowed each semester.
• Student is responsible for making up missed work, tests, etc.
• Students will have as many days equal to the number absent plus one, without penalty, to complete missed work assigned during the absence period.
• A student will be granted credit for passed classes if the student has nine (9) or fewer excused absences OR four (4) or fewer unexcused absences during a semester.
• Medical excuses (verified by a doctor’s note) and court orders do not count towards counted absences.

Truancy/Unexcused Absence

• Truancy/unexcused absences are defined as absences that are unnecessary and avoidable.
• No make-up work is given for unexcused absences.
• Count toward the 9 absences allowed each semester.
• When a student reaches 5 unexcused absences, or a total of 10 unexcused and excused absences, in a class, he/she will lose credit. This type of absence includes, but is not limited to:
  • Absences not verified by a parent/guardian within 24 hours.
  • Leaving class without permission or leaving campus without prior authorization through the Attendance Office.
• For purposes of eligibility, a no credit mark will count as an “F” at the end of the semester. Students receiving no credit at the time of the loss of credit will receive an “F” on their transcript.
• A student may appeal the no credit through the appeal process (link in box, above).

Late Arrivals/Tardies

• Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late to their first class must sign in at the Attendance Office to receive a pass to class.
• Per Prescott Unified School Board procedure, a student is considered absent from a class period if he/she arrives 10 minutes or later to class.
• Only 3 late arrivals per quarter may be excused by the student’s parent/guardian.
• A student will be considered tardy to class according to the teacher’s guidelines.
• Students who receive more than 3 tardies in a quarter may be written up on a disciplinary referral for additional consequences.

Medical Absence

• A medical excuse will not be counted towards the loss of credit so long as it is verified with a doctor’s or dentist’s note.
• The medical issue must be regarding the student, not a family member.
• Parents may fax, email, or hand-carry the excuse or doctor’s note to the attendance office.
• Doctors’ notes must be specific to dates and reason and must be on the doctor’s letterhead or prescription note. All others will not be excused as medical.
• Medical excuses for chronic illnesses/conditions must be renewed each school year.
• If a student with a medical excuse has absences more than 3 school months or 60 school days, new certification must be obtained to determine whether the student needs to be placed in Homebound.

According to ARS 15-803, students are expected to attend school until their sixteenth birthday. Statutes establish that the parent/guardian is responsible for the student’s daily attendance and to inform the school of absences in a timely manner. It is impossible to gain the full benefit of any experience through make-up work. “Absences may be considered excessive when the number of absent days exceeds ten percent of the number of required attendance days…” as stated in ARS 15-802.

Prescott High allows per class period, per semester, a total of:

• Nine (9) total absences, excused and/or unexcused
• Four (4) unexcused absences

ATTENDANCE APPEALS PROCEDURE

1.  Fill out the Attendance Appeal Request (Google form) completely and before starting the process, gather information that will help in completing the form. You will need to know which classes/teachers you need to appeal.

2. During the completion of the form, you will be given the opportunity to provide an explanation for your absences.  Please be as specific as possible when writing the explanation.  The more information provided, the easier it is for those on the appeals committee to approve your absences and grant you credit.  As you write your explanation, please keep in mind the following:
   • Why did you choose not to attend class? Why did you arrive late? Please detail each date as specifically as possible. Include medical documentation that you have not already turned into the attendance office.
   • What is your plan to avoid future absences?
   • Provide any other information that you feel will help the committee make a decision about your appeal.

3. Once you have completed the google form, the attendance appeals committee will review your request.  The committee has the authority to approve an appeal without a face to face meeting.  If you are granted an appeal upon the initial committee review, you will be notified that the appeal has been granted.

4. If your absences are excessive, you did not supply enough information in your explanation, or you have had multiple appeals, you will need to meet with the committee in person.  If you receive NC on in powerschool, you must make an appointment with the committee.