Attendance Policy

Our first priority at HHS is education, either in the classroom or in other activities planned by classroom teachers. Classroom attendance is the first expectation placed on students by parents, teachers and administrators. A student in the classroom is part of the learning community. The student owes it to themselves to be present.

Absences

• Parents must report absences due to illness and must give permission for all other absences.
• Absence from the classroom without parental or teacher approval is a cut.
• Students must be in attendance for all of their required classes in order to participate that afternoon or evening in a co-curricular contest or performance.
• The daily attendance list published by HHS’s Attendance Secretary is the official record of attendance.
• If questions arise about how an absence should be counted, the decision will be made by the Principal. It can be appealed to the Judiciary Committee of Council.

Planned Absences - Prior Notification

• The student picks up a goldenrod form in the Main Office.
• The main office receptionist checks off one of the reasons on the form:

- family travel
- college visit
- scheduled medical appointment
- religious holiday
- travel for non-HHS sports
- bereavement
- other (please specify)

The attendance secretary will keep an electronic record of these different absences.

• The student must notify teachers a number of days in advance equal to the number of days that will be missed, i.e. a one-day planned absence requires notification one day in advance, a two-day absence requires notification two days in advance, and so on.
• The student turns in the completed goldenrod form to the main office.

Notification on the Day of the Absence

The school expects that the parent or guardian will telephone the school by 8 A.M. The number is 603-643-3431, extension 3535. An absence will not be considered a cut if a parent or guardian notifies the school within 48 hours. If a student is in school and feels too ill to attend a class or scheduled obligation, the absence will be excused only if the student reports to the nurse, or to the Main Office if the nurse is unavailable. Failure to follow these steps equals a cut.
NOTE: CoCurricular participation is impacted when class is missed. For specific policies see the Co-curricular Agreement.

Lateness

A student who is late should explain the lateness at an appropriate time. If the student is late for personal reasons and feels uncomfortable discussing these reasons with the teacher, the student should consult an adult in the Main Office or a counselor. Students should not receive a cut or a tardy if 1) there is a legitimate reason for being late, and 2) the lateness is excused by a counselor or Main Office staff person. Good communication is the key to fairness on all sides.

• Students who arrive after the class’s starting time are late.
• Three tardies in a quarter are equivalent to a cut.
• If a student is more than ten minutes late this may count as a cut, at the teacher’s discretion. The 10 (+) minute tardy may also jeopardize their co-curricular or athletic activity that day or whenever the cut is processed.
• Any other penalties for tardiness must be stated in the course standards.
• If the teacher has not arrived fifteen minutes past the scheduled start of the class, students may leave the classroom.

Lateness caused by school travel

If school-sponsored transportation returns students to Hanover after midnight, these changes follow:

• Arrival before 12:00 midnight: Student must attend all classes.
• Arrival 12:00 - 1:00 AM: Student may miss the 1st period class but must be in school for the 2nd period class.
• Arrival after 1:00 AM: Student may miss the 1st and 2nd period classes but must be in school for the 3rd period class.

If a student feels that they have received an unreasonable tardy or absence, the student may present their concern to the principal. The principal’s decision may be appealed to the Judiciary Committee of Council.

Makeup Work

Absent students are responsible for asking the teacher what assignments or handouts they missed. Before a planned absence, the student will show the teacher a plan for making up written work that is missed, and the teacher must approve this plan. If the student takes a planned absence without a makeup plan, grades for late work may be reduced at the teacher’s discretion.

The student must complete work missed due to their absence. The student will be allowed time equivalent to the number of days missed, unless the student and the teacher agree to other arrangements.

Work assigned before the absence will be due on the scheduled date or on the day of return from the absence, unless the student and the teacher agree to other arrangements.

In cases of family emergencies, illnesses, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control, deadlines for papers, tests, projects, etc. will be extended by arrangement between the student and the teacher. For example, if the student is absent due to illness and misses a two-day review for a test, they will have two days to receive and study the review material before taking the test.

NOTE: Individual course standards may contain additional attendance requirements.

Cuts

Cutting a class at Hanover High School is a serious offense with serious consequences.An absence is considered a cut when it has not been excused by a parent, guardian or school staff.

Consequences for Cutting

• The student will receive NO CREDIT for work done that day in the class(es) he or she missed. Any other academic penalty must be described in the class’s course standards.
• The student will not be able to participate in that day’s athletics or in other co-curricular activities that have manageable attendance.
• In a first instance, the teacher will contact the student. The student will have a 24-hour period to resolve any misunderstandings with the teacher otherwise there will be a 5-day schedule up.
• If the student cuts a second time, the Dean of Students will speak to the student and the student’s parents to inform them that the student has been scheduled up for five school days. The Dean will remind them of the consequences for more cutting.
• If the student cuts the class a third time, the student and the student’s parents will be notified and the student will be scheduled up for ten school days.
• If the student cuts the class a fourth time, a hearing will be held to determine whether the student should remain in the course. The student, teacher, guidance counselor and parents will be invited to attend the hearing.
• If the student cuts the class a fifth time, the student will be removed from the class with No Credit reported on the transcript.

Leave Of Absence

The school recognizes that some students occasionally have doubts about the value of school for them. Hanover High School provides the option of a contracted leave of absence that permits a student to gain time and still maintain a relationship with the school. The terms of this arrangement are available through either a Guidance Counselor or the Dean of Students.