Collins Hill High School encourages and promotes good attendance. Regular attendance in school develops good habits that will carry over later in life. Good attendance correlates very strongly with improved grades in school. School attendance is the responsibility of parents and students.

State law requires attendance at school from age 7 to 16. It also authorizes strict penalties for non-attendance. Excused absences are defined by state law and include only the following areas:

• Personal illness: individuals whose attendance in school would endanger their health or the health of others,

• Death or serious illness of an immediate family member,

• Recognized religious holidays,

• Student under orders from a government agency,

• Service as a page in the Georgia General Assembly,

• Conditions rendering school attendance impossible or hazardous to students’ safety/health,

• Registering to vote or are voting, for a period not to exceed one day.

• Military leave of a parent and/or guardian

Collins Hill High School will allow junior and senior students to have up to 5 days to be used as college visitation days. This visit is considered a pre-arranged absence.

Chronic absenteeism can seriously jeopardize a student’s success in school. Please note that after 10 consecutive absences a student will be withdrawn if the school has not been contacted by the parent/guardian.

On the day the student returns to school, he/she must bring a note signed by a parent/guardian explaining why the student was absent from school.  The note should include the student’s first and last name, student number, grade level, date, reason, parent signature, and phone number for verification. Parent notes will be accepted for up to 10 excused all-day absences per school year and/or 6 late check-ins per school year. Thereafter, the school may request the following additional documentation for absences/check-ins:

• Note from health care provider

• Court or government mandated papers

• Funeral documentation

The note/documentation must be turned in to the attendance office.  The absence will be classified according to the policy as either excused or unexcused.

• If 30 or more minutes of a class are missed, the student is considered absent for that class.

• If the student fails to bring a note excusing the absence, the student will be given one additional day to present the note or the absence will be considered unexcused. Work may not be made up for unexcused absences.

• A student must be present for 3½ periods in order to be counted present for the day.

These absences are recorded as unexcused absences by state definition. If parents find it necessary for students to miss school due to an out of town trip (limit 3 days per year), absences must be approved by the administration. If approved, the student may make up missed work. College visitation days will require written verification from the campus visited.

• Procedures for Pre-arranged Absences (follow steps in order)

1. Obtain a prearranged absence form from the attendance office three or more days prior to the absence.

2. Fill out the form and obtain a parent/guardian’s signature.

3. Return the form to the attendance office.

All students are expected to be in school and/or classes on time. This means in the classroom before the tardy bell rings. Students are considered tardy from the ringing of the 7:10 a.m. bell until 7:30 a.m. Please be aware that the state of Georgia does not excuse heavy traffic and/or poor weather conditions as a reason for being tardy to school (see Absence Policy for excused absences per state law).

Procedure for Check-ins:

1. Report directly to the attendance office upon arrival on campus. 

2. Bring a note signed by parent/guardian stating the reason for the late arrival. Include a date, reason for tardy, parent signature and a phone number for verification. After six tardies to school, a parent or guardian may be required to check in their student or the student must bring in a doctor’s note at the time of check-in. 

3. Attendance personnel will classify the tardy and give the student the appropriate pass to class.

All students are expected to be in class on time.  This means in the classroom before the tardy bell rings, otherwise you are tardy.  If a student is not in the classroom on time, the teacher will mark the student as tardy. If a student misses five minutes (or more) of class without a valid pass, they are considered AWOL. Consequences for unexcused tardies may include: silent lunch, Saturday School , in-school suspension, and out-of-school suspension and will escalate as tardies are accumulated.  

Unexcused Semester Tardies/Check-ins Policy:  

• 1st-6th Offense(s) - Warning (after the 6th tardy, student will see an administrator)

• 7th Offense - Silent Lunch x2 (ISS Room)

• 8th Offense - 2 hr Saturday School  and loss of parking pass for a week and referral to the Attendance Intervention Team

• 9th-10th  Offense(s)-ISS x1 and loss of parking pass for 2 weeks  

• 11th +- Admin discretion, parent conference, loss of parking pass for one semester with no refunds to be given.

A student shall not be absent from school, from any class or other required school function during school hours, except for illness or any other providential cause.

Any student needing to leave campus during the day for any reason must check out through the attendance office.  The last check out time is 1:45pm.  Contact with a parent or guardian will be required before a student is released from school even if the student is 18 or older.  Parents, please notify the guidance office of any changes to their student information - especially changes in emergency contact numbers. 

Procedure for Check Outs:

1. Picture I.D. will be required of the person checking out the student.

2. If the absence is a planned check-out:

   1. Prior to first period, present the attendance office personnel with a note from a parent/guardian requesting permission to check out. The note should include a phone number for verification. Check-outs via phone call or email will not be allowed through the attendance office.

   2. A hall pass will be given to the student with the time of day to report to the attendance office.

   3. If the parent has not been contacted for verification, the parent must come inside to check the student out.

   4. If the parent was contacted for verification, when the student returns to the attendance office at the designated time to be released, the attendance personnel will instruct the student to meet the parent at a designated area.

3. In the event of an emergency/illness:

   1. Students should not use their cell phones to call parents when they are ill. Instead, the student should get a pass from the teacher and report to the clinic. Clinic staff will contact the parent/guardian. 

   2. The parent/guardian must come in with ID to pick up the student.

   3. In the event of an emergency, the parent/guardian must come in with proper ID to check the student out.

   4. Students will meet parent/guardian at a designated area.

4. No checkouts during final exams.

5. No checkouts after 1:45 p.m.

6. If the student is present at school but misses class due to illness and does not notify a teacher or staff member, the student will be considered unexcused from class.

Excessive Check Outs: After a student has accumulated five (5) check-outs per semester, a parent or guardian will be required to come to the attendance office to check the child out. A student who checks out of school repeatedly may have parking privileges revoked at any time.

If a student is absent from any class due to a school function, the student is responsible for missed work in the class.

Procedure for School Function Absences: Get the appropriate teacher signatures on the In/Out-of-School Activity Form. Contact the teacher for all make-up work and turn it in based on the school make-up policy.