Andrew J. Rickoff

School will Notify parents through the District’s electronic attendance notification system. Absences will be considered “excused” for the following reasons:

1. Personal illness - The approving authority may require the certificate of a physician if he/she deems it advisable.
2. Illness in the family - The approving authority may require a written statement from a physician and an explanation as to why the child’s absence was necessary.
3. Quarantine of the home - The absence of a child from school under this condition is limited to the length of quarantine as fixed by the proper health officials.
4. Death of a relative - The absence arising from this condition is limited to a period of three days unless a reasonable cause may be shown by the applicant child for a longer absence.
5. Observance of religious holidays - Any child of any faith shall be excused if his/her absence was for the purpose of observing a religious holiday consistent with his/her truly held religious beliefs.
6. Medical or dental appointment - The approving authority may require a written statement from a physician or dentist and an explanation as to why the child’s absence was necessary.
7. College visitation - The approving authority may require verification of the date and time of the visit by the college, university or technical college.
8. CEO’s judgment - Use the Attendance Verification Worksheet to indicate this reason.
9. Emergency or other set of circumstances - Circumstances which, in the judgment of the District CEO, constitute a good and sufficient cause for absence from school.

All other absences will be considered “unexcused.” Students who are unable to attend school because of a severe health impairment or temporary physical condition may qualify for home instruction. Parent, guardian or legal custodian should contact the Home Instruction Office at 216.838.0209 for details if such a condition is present.

1. Truancy Ohio law provides that students are considered a “habitual truant” if they have been absent without a legitimate excuse for thirty (30) or more consecutive hours of instruction, forty two (42) or more hours of instruction within a school month, or for more than seventy two (72) hours of instruction within a school year. Students who have been designated a “habitual truant” will be referred to the District’s Absence Intervention Team to receive appropriate supports consistent with Ohio law and the District’s Student Attendance policy, Board Policy JE. Such supports may include, but are not limited to, parental notification, a truancy intervention plan, counseling, referrals to parental programs, notification to the registrar of motor vehicles, and/or referral to the juvenile court. The District will notify the Ohio Department of Education of habitual truant designations, related parental notifications, related court adjudications, and absence intervention plans as required by Board Policy and Ohio Law. The District will not suspend, expel, or remove a student from school solely on the basis that the student was absent from school, tardy, or cut class without legitimate excuse. The District believes regular attendance helps ensure students maximize their opportunities to receive instruction and progress academically. Although absenteeism will not directly result in a student’s retention from progressing to the next academic grade level, the results of regular absenteeism may impact a student’s ability to otherwise meet promotion requirements.
2. A student must be in attendance at school in order to participate in any after-school or evening activity on that date. For more information, please review Board Policy JE, accessible at ClevelandMetroSchools.org