Attendance Policy

From the Office of the Dean of Men
Any absence interrupts the continuity of instruction for the student, teacher, and other students in the class. Extra tutoring or instruction outside of school or other forms of make-up work are valuable but cannot entirely replace missed class work, especially where discussion and forms of class interaction are involved.

Vacations and service trips taken during the school year are not justified and will be considered truancy. Please make plans for such events when school is not in session. The only excused absences are school sanctioned trips, religious obligation, or a death in the family.

Each senior will be allotted two college visitation days which will not count against his total number of absences, as long as the visit has been approved by the Dean of Men’s Office in advance of the visit.

Any student who has been absent from class eight times in a trimester will have his grade lowered one complete grade. Each additional absence may lead to further lowering of the grade. If eight absences should occur in a trimester, the student will be suspended from all extra-curricular activities, including, but not limited to clubs, athletics, class trips, Kairos, etc.

Attendance at one Kairos Retreat each year will not count towards a student’s overall absences, but attendance at a second one will count.

If 16 absences occur in a class for the year, no academic credit will be given. At the conclusion of each trimester the Attendance Committee will convene to discuss any attendance issues and decide on a case by case basis if remediation efforts are possible or necessary.

Since our primary concern is the continuity of instruction, the above policy applies to all absences. We do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences (other than those mentioned above.)

The Attendance Committee will consist of the Headmaster, the Assistant Headmaster, the Dean of Men, the Dean of Studies, and a department chairperson.