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Attendance Policy

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY 

Absences shall be classified as either excused or unexcused as determined by the principal and the attendance office. According to the Bradley County Schools Attendance Policy, three (3) student absences per semester may be excused by a parent note. The principal or his designee may require a doctor’s note for absences above three (3) in number. Failure to comply will result in the absence(s) being deemed “unexcused”. Truancy is any unexcused absence for any portion of the school day or any portion of a particular class without justifiable reason as determined by the administrator or designee. The Tier Intervention guidelines specify that physician notes must be turned into the school within the three (3) day period following any absence as outlined in school policy.

Three-Tiered Progressive Truancy Intervention Program

Tier 1: Prevention-Oriented Supports: 

  • After three (3) unexcused absences, parents will receive a warning letter through the All Call System.
  • After five (5) unexcused absences, a referral to Tier 2 will be made and the Campus Court Mediation process will begin. 

Tier 2: Campus Court Mediation: 

  • School personnel will schedule a meeting with the student, parent/guardian, relevant school personnel, and Juvenile Court Staff mediator; 
  • During the meeting, the student, parent/guardian, school personnel, and Juvenile Court Staff Mediator will draft and sign an agreement. A review date will be set for each agreement. The agreement will include, but will not be limited to:
    • Attendance expectations;
    • Penalties for additional absences; 
    • Any additional expectations determined necessary by meeting members; and/or 
    • If necessary, referral of the child to counseling, community-based services, or other in-school or out-of-school services aimed at addressing the student's attendance problems. 
    • A report of the meeting will be drafted and maintained in the Campus Court system. The report will include the basis for the student’s absences provided by the parent, as well as a report from the school concerning the student’s absences. 
    • A review date will be set for each Tier 2 case.
 

Tier 3: Campus Court Review and Services:

  • If at the review date, a student has accumulated more unexcused absences, the case can be transferred to Juvenile Court.
  • The mediator may recommend any services deemed necessary by the mediator.
  • The student may be referred to the “Behavior Unit” for a service assessment. 
  • Further absences or non-compliance will result in a Juvenile Court petition for truancy pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-6-3009 through Bradley County Juvenile Court. 

*If Tier 2 or Tier 3 is unsuccessful with a student and the school can document that the student's parent/guardian is unwilling to cooperate with the truancy intervention plan, then a referral may be made to Bradley County Juvenile Court without first having to implement subsequent intervention tiers.

TARDY POLICY 

A student will be deemed tardy if he/she arrives at the classroom after the tardy bell. A student will not be considered tardy if the administration or counseling department is dealing with the student. However, the student must have a pass showing he/she was in the counseling center or the administrative offices. Tardies will start over the semester. Discipline procedures for tardies are as follows:

1st & 2nd Offense warning

3rd Offense phone call to parent (grade level tardy team)

4th & 5th Offense silent lunch, advisory detention, and contact parent 

6th & 7th Offense silent lunch (x 2 days) and contact parent 

8th Offense ISS (1 full day) and contact parent

9th+ Offense Admin decision (ISS, detention, etc.); admin contacts parent

 

CHECK-IN PROCEDURES

If a student is late to school due to an appointment or a transportation issue, he/she must report to the attendance office to check-in. Please provide documentation if your student is late due to an appointment. 

 

EARLY DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

To dismiss a student before 3:00 pm, a parent/guardian must call the attendance office at 479-0457 ext. 3011 or come into the attendance office. After three phone dismissals per semester, a parent must come to the attendance office to dismiss a student early. There will be no dismissals after 3:00 p.m. 

*Students who have attempted to dismiss themselves or another student by telephone will be required to have a parent or guardian come into the attendance office to dismiss them out for the remainder of the school year. 

Updated 08/10/2026