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Excused v. Unexcused Absences

As a courtesy, for all absences, parents are encouraged to notify the front office by either calling the front desk or emailing the Attendance Clerk, Lety Mendoza.  However, please note that a phone call does not provide documentation for excusing the absence.

For more information on the relationship on checking a student out during the school day and respective excused absences, please refer to Attendance & Check Out Chart.

In order for an absence to be considered excused, the student must provide an acceptable form of documentation (not a phone call) to the Attendance Clerk, Lety Mendoza. The documentation must be turned in either prior to the absence or within 3 full academic days upon return to school from the absence. If no documentation is provided, the absence is considered unexcused.  The following criteria will be used when determining excuse status:

                                   

  • ILLNESS OR FAMILY EMERGENCY (1 to 3 days): When a student must be absent due to an illness or family emergency, the “parent or legal guardian” should telephone the school as soon as possible, and not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day missed. Parents should call on each day of absence unless an extended leave has been arranged for more serious situations. Should the parent/legal guardian be unable to call the school on the day affected, a written note explaining the nature of the absence may be submitted to the registrar upon the student’s return to school.
  • ILLNESS OR FAMILY EMERGENCY (4 or more days): A note from a doctor is required for any absences due to illness beyond 3 days.
  • NON-ILLNESS (no more than 1 day): Documentation of the circumstances necessitating a missed day for non-illness may include sales receipt (e.g. for a replaced tire), copy of ticket or citation, or copy of accident report.
  • RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE: Students are allowed to make-up work for any days missed for religious observance. Please provide a note to explain the absence. A student who is observing holy days is allowed up to one day of excused travel for travelling to the site where the student will observe the holy days and up to one day of excused travel for traveling from that site.
  • COLLEGE VISITS (maximum of 2 days per school year): This is allowable for juniors and seniors only. Proper documentation (e.g. signed letter) must be received by the school within 3 days of return from absence in order for absence to be considered excused.
  • FAMILY TRIP (5 days or less): The student must provide an acceptable form of documentation to the administrative assistant. The documentation must be turned in either prior to the absence or within 2 full academic days upon return to school from the absence.
  • COURT APPEARANCES: A student who is attending a required court appearance is allowed up to one day of excused travel for traveling to the site where the student will attend the required court appearance and up to one day of excused travel for traveling from that site.
  • CITIZENSHIP PAPERWORK: A student who is appearing at a governmental office to complete paperwork required in connection with the student’s application for United States citizenship is allowed up to one day of excused travel for travelling to the site where the student will complete the paperwork and up to one day of excused travel for traveling from that site.
  • CITIZENSHIP PROCEEDINGS: A student who is taking part in a United States naturalization oath ceremony is allowed up to one day of excused travel for traveling to the site where the student will take part in the ceremony and up to one day of excused travel for traveling from that site.
  • ELECTION CLERK: A student who is serving as an election clerk is allowed up to one day of excused travel for traveling to the site where the student will serve as an election clerk and up to one day of excused travel for traveling from that site
  • Children in Conservatorship of DFPS: Student absence will be excused for a student who is in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services who misses school:
  • To participate in an activity ordered by a court under Family Code Chapter 262 or 263, provided that it is not practicable to schedule the participation outside of school hours; or
  • To attend a mental health or therapy appointment or family visitation as ordered by a court under Family Code Chapter 262 or 263
  • TAPS AT MILITARY FUNERAL: Chaparral Star Academy may excuse a student in grades 6–12 for the purpose of sounding “Taps” at a military honors funeral held in Texas for a deceased veteran.
  • MILITARY DEPENDENT: Chaparral Star Academy shall excuse a student whose parent, stepparent, or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from continuous deployment of at least four months outside the locality where the parent, stepparent, or guardian regularly resides, to visit with the student’s parent, stepparent, or guardian. Chaparral Star Academy may not excuse a student under this provision more than five days in a school year. An excused absence for this reason must be taken not earlier than the 60th day before the date of deployment or not later than the 30th day after the date of return from deployment.
  • MILITARY ENLISTMENT: Chaparral Star Academy shall excuse a student who is 17 years of age or older from attending school to pursue enlistment in a branch of the armed services of the United States or the Texas National Guard. Chaparral Star Academy may not excuse a student for this purpose more than four days of school during the period the student is enrolled in high school. Chaparral Star Academy shall verify the student’s activities are related to pursuing enlistment in a branch of the armed services or the National Guard.
  • Obtaining a Driver’s License or Learner License: Chaparral Star Academy may excuse a student who is 15 years of age or older from attending school to visit a driver’s license office to obtain a driver’s license or learner license, provided that the student is not excused for more than one day of school during the period the student is enrolled in high school for such purpose. Chaparral Star Academy shall verify the student’s visit to the driver’s license office in accordance with procedures adopted by Chaparral Star Academy.

 

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

An unexcused absence is any absence for which the school has not been notified.  Any work missed due to unexcused absences will be counted as zero (0).  Excessive unexcused absences (4 or more) could result in discussion with the Principal/Superintendent, assignment of school detention or specified work hours, or suspension at administration’s discretion.

Notes from parents excusing absences must include:

  • the DATE(S) of the absence
  • the STUDENT’S FULL name
  • the REASON for the absence
  • SIGNED and DATED by the parent or legal guardian

  Notes missing any of the above information will not be accepted.


ATTENDANCE – EXTENDED CONSECUTIVE ABSENCES

For extended consecutive absences (6 or more school days), in order for the absence to be considered excused, the student must provide an acceptable form of documentation to the administrative assistant. The documentation must be turned in either prior to the absence or within 2 full academic days upon return to school from the absence. If no documentation is provided, the absence is considered unexcused.  Any work missed due to unexcused absences will be counted as zero (0).

Only the following reasons will be considered when determining eligibility for excuse of absence:

  • STUDENT ILLNESS: A note from a doctor is required for any absences beyond 3 days
  • FAMILY EMERGENCY): A note from the parent is required for any absences due to illness beyond 3 days. Supporting documents may be required if parent note fails to provide sufficient data.
  • RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE: Students are allowed to make-up work for any days missed for the designated religious observance, including two days for travel (if applicable). Please provide a note to explain the absence.

Notes from parents excusing absences must include:

  • the DATE(S) of the absence
  • the STUDENT’S FULL name
  • the REASON for the absence
  • SIGNED and DATED by the parent or legal guardian
 

Notes missing any of the above information will not be accepted.

An appeal can be made to the principal BEFORE a student will be absent for an extended consecutive absence if the reason for the absence is not one of the ones listed to allow the absences to be excused.  The appeal should be in the form of an e-mail sent directly to the principal.  The principal must receive this appeal at least 5 school days before the first day of the extended consecutive absence.   Appeals to the principal cannot be made during a student’s extended consecutive absence or upon return.  Dissatisfaction with the principal decision should follow the grievance process described in the student handbook.

Common reasons an appeal may be denied from the principal:

  • FAMILY TRIP
  • FAMILY REUNION
  • VACATION DAYS ASSOCIATED WITH RECOGNIZED RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY
 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS