Absences Requiring Medical Documentation

ABSENCES REQUIRING MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION

In the event that a student's personal illness or attendance at school endangers a student's health or the health of others, the school may require the student to present appropriate medical documentation upon return to school for the purpose of validating that the absence is an excused absence.

In the event that a student has 10 or more absences for health reasons, the school requires a physician's excuse in order to consider the absence as an excused absence.

Parents are encouraged to be proactive in communicating with their child’s school when there is an unusual attendance pattern expected.

The following procedures will be utilized in addressing an accumulation of unexcused and/or excused student absences and/or tardies/early checkouts: 

System approved letters are mailed that includes the Georgia Compulsory Attendance Law (O.C.G.A. 20-2-690.1). Instructions are included in each letter. Upon the generation of each letter, the principal and attendance officer will be notified.

Absences do not accumulate beyond the current school year.

School days missed as a result of out of school suspensions will not count as unexcused absences for the purpose of determining truancy.

NOTE: LCS complies with the Lowndes County Juvenile Court Protocol Agreement for Truancy in Schools. A referral to the Truancy Intervention Program (TIP), juvenile court, state court, magistrate court, and/or the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) may be made in lieu of the outlined procedures. Protocol changes that occur during the school year will be posted on the website.