Parent Handbook

Absences and Illness Topics

· Attendance · Excused Absences · Unexcused Absences · Make-up Work and Tests · Student Illness at School/Medical Appointments · Physical Education · Medication

Attendance
There is no substitute for direct contact between teacher and student in the educational process. Students cannot derive the full benefit of the Brookfield experience unless they are in class and held fully accountable for meeting all of their commitments. It is for that reason that Brookfield will enforce attendance policies as strictly as possible.
_ Brookfield needs to be notified each morning in the event that a child will miss school due to illness. This safety procedure provides the School with the whereabouts of all students.
_ If a parent knows in advance about any student planning to be away from school for any reason, a written note should be sent to the office at least three days in advance and the parent should discuss the student's missed daily instruction with his or her teachers.
_ Notes from parents or doctors must always be presented upon returning to school after any absence.
_ Students leaving during school hours for illness or medical appointments must have the parent come to the office and sign out. If the student will be returning that same day, s/he must report into the office upon returning.

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Excused Absences
Schools follow state law mandates about attendance. To help us work together, here is a short version of the attendance policy Brookfield follows: The only reasons accepted as excused are:
1. Illness
2. Medical/dental appointment
3. Funeral of immediate family member
4. Quarantine
5. Exclusion from school*
6. Personal Reasons: family emergency, court appearance, or religious holiday

*State law requires that students be excluded from school for these reasons: lack of immunizations (5 days only) or contagious health problems.

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Make-up Work and Tests
_ When a student is absent, a classmate will record all assignments each day.
_ Books and assignments can be picked up at 3:00 (1:00 on Fridays) from the Homework Cart located outside of the office. The assignments may also be sent to the classroom of a sibling.
_ We do not expect students who are ill to complete all the work sent home. They should do only as much as capable, for they will be given time to make up work when they return.
_ Upon returning from an illness: the student needs to check with teachers to determine what is expected in the way of make-up work and which assignments might be excused. Unprepared slips are not issued for incomplete work until the student has been in class for at least the number of days he or she missed for illness.
_ If a student misses a unit exam at the end of a term grading period and a teacher cannot provide a term grade without the exam, the student will receive an incomplete on the report card until the make-up exam is taken. The make-up exam should be administered as soon as possible. The incomplete will be replaced by the appropriate grade earned.
_ State law permits students to be excused from school up to a maximum of 5 days per school year when participating in the performing arts, providing there is a written note to the school authorities explaining the reason for the absence.
_ The student will be permitted to complete all assignments and tests missed that can reasonably be provided under the teacher's discretion. The difficulty this poses for teachers is that students miss teaching time and instruction in class. This affects the teachers' schedule and planning for classroom instruction and tests. Therefore, we will require a written request from parents for their child's excused absence from class at least three days prior to absence. This will at least give teachers the ability to plan ahead. If an absence is due to family obligations, arrangements must be made ahead of time by discussing it with the office and with each teacher. Extra assignments (keeping daily journals, working experiments, writing reports, etc.) will often be assigned so that the student can do as much profitable work as possible while away. If an absence is due to doctor appointments, funerals, or other emergencies, the student should check with individual teachers for work to be made up. There are no penalties. Students are expected to attend a portion of the school day whenever possible.

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Unexcused Absence
Any absence when the child is not ill and/or the parent has not consulted with the school ahead of time regarding the advisability of taking the child from school is an unexcused absence. This includes vacations.
_ If arrangements have not been made in advance for an excused absence and for daily work while away, the child will have a great load of work when s/he returns. Teachers are not required to give the student work in advance, primarily because a teacher cannot know in advance everything that will be covered on the missed day. The student will be behind and grades will suffer.
_ The School does not show any special concern for making up the work if the parent has not planned ahead to consider the teacher's schedule. The parent is responsible for providing a tutor if needed. An incomplete will be given on the report card unless everything has been made up. An incomplete becomes an "F" if not changed before the next report card.

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Student Illness at School/Medical Appointments
_ If your child is ill at school, s/he will be sent to the office where his temperature will be taken and an assessment will be made as to the severity of the child's condition.
_ The secretary or administrator may consult the parent. Often parents will need to be notified in the event they need to make an appointment that day with their pediatrician
_ Situations in which a student would be sent home include: fever, a chance of exposing others, or severe discomfort. Mild stomachaches, headaches, runny noses, and malaise do not warrant being sent home.
_ Students leaving during school hours for illness, dental, or doctor appointments must have the parent come to the office and sign out. If the student will be returning that same day, s/he must report into the office upon returning.

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Physical Education
If a student is to be excused from P.E. for health reasons, a note must be sent to the office that day. Students are expected to observe games when they are not participating, even though they may be excused. Students who are too ill to observe should not be in school that day. If you have any questions, please call the office.

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Medication
If it is necessary for a student to take any form of medication during the school day, the medication must be brought to the school office in their original containers by the parent. Written instructions for dispensing the medication is needed. All medication will be kept in the office and will be dispensed through the office. It is the obligation of the parent to inform the office personnel if a student is on any kind of on-going medication, whether it is taken at home or at school, of any notable health problems such as severe allergies, asthma, etc.

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