North Port High School Attendance Policy Key Points and Parent / Student Guide 

Acceptable reasons for an Excused Absence

1. Student illness (if documented by parent/guardian or medical doctor). 
2. Observance of a religious holiday/service by members of student faith. 
3. Medical appointment with documentation. 
4. Death or documented major illness in the immediate family. 
5. Subpoena by law enforcement agency or mandatory court appearance.
6. Other absences beyond the control of the parent, as approved by the principal.   

   Absence Procedure

1. Students are to bring a note signed by a parent/guardian or a note from a medical doctor to the attendance office upon returning to school.
2. The note must include the student’s first and last name, date(s) of absence, and reason for being absent.
3. This note should be dropped off in the basket at the attendance office in within 3 days of the student’s absence.
4. Parent notes that exceed 3 consecutive days will require further documentation.***A doctor’s note will be required after excessive absences ******Any student who has 15 unexcused absences within a rolling 90-day period is habitually truant and will be reported by the Superintendent to the Department of Highway and Safety and Motor Vehicles resulting in suspension of a driver’s license or permit. ***   Early Dismissal Procedure
5.  Student must bring a note signed by a parent/guardian to the attendance office in the morning, before class starts of the early dismissal day. The student will receive a pass to report to attendance office at time of dismissal
6. The note must include the student’s first and last name, date, time of early dismissal, and reason for early dismissal.
7. At the noted dismissal time, the student will show their pass to the teacher, then will report back to the attendance office, sign out, receive a release pass that will be time stamped.
8. Early dismissal absence will remain unexcused until the student returns to school with documentation verifying the appointment.
9. If you return to campus that day, you will report back to the front window of the attendance office, sign in, and receive a pass back to class.
10. All early dismissal emails must be sent before 9:30am the day of dismissal to Nicole.Chamorro@sarasotacountyschools.net***All students sent in with a pre-arranged early dismissal note and followed up by a phone call will be permitted to sign out and meet a parent out front or drive off campus.  ***PARENTS*** There will be no students dismissed after 1:45 unless previously arranged.Tardy to School Procedure

We encourage you to send your child in with a note for every early dismissal to keep our classroom interruption to a minimum.

When picking up your child for early dismissal there is no need to come into school if you’ve sent them with a note and called to confirm

Tardy

1. Students who are tardy to school during first period within the first 10 minutes will receive a HERO Pass.
2. HERO passes are available in the courtyard, at attendance, and in the breezeway at the beginning of school.
3. After 7:40 am all students must report to the front window of the attendance office which is accessed through the front office. You will sign in and receive a pass to enter class. If you have a note for being tardy you will turn it into the attendance office at that time.
4. ***Acceptable reasons to excuse a tardy fall under the same rules as excused absences. ***