Attendance, Absences, Truancy, Tardiness, & Dismissal
Attendance is required of all students enrolled in the District during the days and hours that school is in session, except that the Principal may excuse a student for temporary absences when receiving satisfactory evidence of circumstances that may reasonably cause the student’s absence. RSA 193.1 Duty of Parent requires a parent of any child at least 6 years of age and under 18 years of age to ensure their child to attend the public school which the child is assigned in the child’s resident district. Any absence that has not been excused will be considered an unexcused absence. Per NH RSA 189.35 Truancy is defined as any unexcused absence from class or school. Ten half days of unexcused absence from school constitutes habitual truancy.
Milford Project DRIVE students are required to be in school from 7:30 am to 2:05 pm according to the school calendar from the Milford School Board. Attendance in school is the primary responsibility of parents and students.
Consistent attendance and success in the classroom go “hand in hand”. Absences prevent a student from gaining the total benefit and total content of a course. Participation in the classroom through the exchange of ideas, the oral defense of one’s opinions, and the application of information in laboratory and “hands-on” situations are all vital and necessary learning experiences.
This emphasis on good attendance is also consistent with the mission of Milford Project DRIVE, which is to educate individuals to be responsible, contributing members of society. Future employers and post-secondary schools require records of high school attendance and absence.
Absences
Definition: When a student is not in class for any reason, he/she is considered absent. Exceptions to this are if student is pulled from class to take part in a special/related service.
Consecutive Absences: Absences of more than three (3) consecutive days may require medical certification in the form of a physician’s letter or other documentation. Failure to provide this upon request may result in absences being considered unexcused and all rights to credited make-up work denied. All excused notes must be received within 1 week of being absent or before the end of the semester, whichever comes first.
Parent/Guardian Responsibility: Parents/Guardians are expected to call the Main Office at (603)673-6709 by 8:00 am to verify the absence of their child each day their child is absent. The school will call Parents/Guardians of any student whose absence has not been verified each day.
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Parents who wish to take their child on a family vacation while school is in session must make such a request in writing to the principal before the vacation. The student is responsible for obtaining any class work in advance of their vacation. All class work is to be completed and presented to the teacher upon return to school.It is the student’s privilege to make up the work and his/her responsibility to do the work within a reasonable amount of time when they return from an excused absence. The time period for make-up work should be relative to the amount of time 
missed. For example, a student who is absent one day should have one day to make up work missed. Examples of excused absences include: doctor visits, verified college visits, religious holidays, bereavement, court appointments, obtaining driver’s license, and school sponsored/sanctioned activities and events.
Students needing make-up work during an extended illness will be required to give the office and teacher 24 hours’ notice in order that the assignments can be properly prepared. Work can be picked up at the Main Office after that 24-hour period.
Students who are absent due to unexcused tardiness, truancy, class cutting, or external suspension will receive zero credit for work missed, and will not be allowed to make up the work for credit. Students are encouraged, however, to do any and all work missed so they can keep up with the rest of the class.
Truancy
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Truancy is defined as any absence from school by a student without the expressed consent, in advance, by that student’s parent or legal guardian, or any absence with or without consent which is undertaken without regard for State Law RSA 193:1. Truancy is considered a disciplinary problem, which will be dealt with by the administration.
Parents will be notified and students involved with the court will have their JPPO contacted by the case manager. Project DRIVE students are required to be in school from 7:30 am to 2:05 pm according to the school calendar from the Milford School Board. Attendance in school is the primary responsibility of parents and students. Truancy is an unexcused absence anytime during the required times of school. |
Tardiness to School
Dismissal
Students may be dismissed from school for family emergencies and medical appointments that cannot be made outside of school time. Parent/guardian should send a note or call the Main Office to request a dismissal. Students will sign out in the Main Office before leaving school.
Dismissal of student 18 years old and older
Students 18 years old and older who live independently may be dismissed without parental permission for legitimate reasons; however, they must obtain approval from an administrator prior to signing out. There are no exceptions to this policy. Consequence will be given if process is not followed.
Policy/procedure for excusing students with complaint of illness
- If a student is apparently ill, the nurse will contact a parent/guardian for permission for dismissal. If permission is received, the absence will be excused.
- If a student who lives independently is apparently ill, the nurse may dismiss said student. This will also be an excused absence.