The Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools County Board of Education recognizes that good attendance is essential to achieve success at the high school level.

• Compulsory Attendance

Parents, guardians, and other persons having legal charge of any child or children between the ages of six and seventeen years, shall be responsible for their attendance in a public or non-public school. In the event of failure to do so, the parents, guardian, or other persons will be subject to the penalties provided in the Compulsory School Attendance Law.

• Administration of Attendance Law

The responsibility and authority for enforcement of the Compulsory School Attendance Law shall be placed with the Board of Education and its designated employees. Nothing shall preclude a student from attending high school beyond the age of seventeen if the student has not graduated but maintains good behavior, attendance, and continues to make academic progress.

•   Verification of Absences

All absences must be verified in writing within three days of the absence by the parent or guardian. All absences for which no written verification is received will be considered unexcused.

• Excused and Unexcused Absences
  The scholastic achievement attained by students is directly related to their patterns of school attendance. Students will not be excused from school except in case of emergency. The following are considered excused absences:
1. Personal illness
2. Illness in the family requiring the student’s temporary help
3. Death in the family (not more than 3 days)
4. Head lice, up to three days per infestation
5. Recognized religious holidays regularly observed by persons of the child’s faith
6. Subpoena to court
7. Documented college visitations by juniors or seniors (2 days per semester)

Exceptions to all of the above are given by principal only.

• Justifiable Personal Absences

Upon written request of the parent/guardian, a student’s absences may be excused for the following reasons:

1. Unforeseen emergencies such as car problems
2. Employment interview or conference
3. Doctor or dental appointments
4. Other reasons requested in writing by the parent/guardian and considered legitimate by the principal

• School Events / Field Trips

Students will not be counted absent in the following situations:

1. On school-approved field trips or activities
2. Serving on Board or staff-appointed committees

Any student who is absent from school must have a parent or legal guardian send a written excuse giving the date, the student’s name and identification number, days of absence, the reason for the absence, signature of parent or guardian, and a phone number for verification if necessary. This excuse must be presented to the student’s 1^st period teacher who will determine if the absence is excused or unexcused. For an excused absence, all teachers are required to provide opportunities for makeup work.   For UNEXCUSED absences, students may receive a zero for the assignments missed due to the unexcused absence.

*Skipping a class is an unexcused absence, and students who skip will receive zeroes for all assignments missed.