NDA desires to provide a quality education for each of our
students. Attendance at school is considered very important to the whole
learning process. When a student is absent from class, lectures, discussions,
and demonstrations are missed that cannot be repeated. Therefore, it is
extremely important that students are consistently present for all of their
classes.
Our absence policy allows a student to miss 13 attendance
points for a full credit course and 7 points for a half credit course before
credit is lost due to missed class time. Sixty minutes of missed class time is
equivalent to one attendance point. Therefore, a student has to miss 13 to 17
days of class before accumulating 13 attendance points. If a student exceeds
the allotted number of points, she will lose credit in that course. This will
be recorded on the report card and transcript as a Withdraw Passing (WP).
If a student must be absent from school, a
parent/guardian should call the school office by 8:00 AM. The student should
bring a note upon her return stating the date of the absence and the reason for
missing school. Other documentation, such
as a doctor’s note, is also very helpful. These notes are kept in the student’s
file.
If a student must be absent from school for more days
than the policy states above, or has a chronic condition, is having surgery, or
must miss school repeatedly for reasons beyond her control she must complete
the Excused Absence Application Form, downloaded from below, and return it to
the school office within two weeks of a student’s return. Excused absences, those NOT counted toward a
student’s missed points, include:
1)
Five college days during junior and senior years - A
"college day" is a day on which a senior or junior is scheduled to
visit a college or university. The student obtains a verification form from the
school office to take with her and returns it signed by a college official.
Failure to provide verification will result in an unexcused absence. College
visits are not excused after April 30. NOTE: College days are not mandatory.
2)
Funerals of immediate relatives, or others in consultations
with the Assistant Principal for Student Life.
3)
Participation in an NDA sponsored activity in which a student
will miss class time
4)
Attendance at NDA/CCH athletic events that occur during school
hours at the discretion of the administration through public notification.
Unexcused Absences include any time a student is absent from
school for any reason other than those stated above. Illness, even with a
doctor's statement, is NOT an excused absence. Sick days are simply added to
the "missed points" total.
Vacations taken during the school year are discouraged. If
this is unavoidable, a vacation form is to be completed for each class. The
forms are available in the school office.
DOWNLOAD EXCUSED ABSENCE APPLICATION FORM HERE