August 12, 2016 Dear Parents, Punctuality and regular attendance of classes, advisory, chapels, and assemblies are critical components to academic success, foster a sense of community, and enable each student to experience the distinctive qualities of Trinity Prep. It is also vitally important that we have an accurate daily accounting of the students on campus to ensure their safety. Following is a summary of important aspects of our attendance policy: Reporting an Absence or Tardy o Parents are to call the school by 8:30 a.m. if their child is going to be absent or late​, for any reason, even if the parent feels the child may arrive later in the day. o Calls should be placed to the main number, (407) 671­4140. Please then follow the prompts to reach the attendance line. o Incoming calls to a student’s cell phone or e­mails to the school to report an absence or tardy will not be accepted. Absence Policy o Students are allowed a maximum of 10 non­school sponsored absences each semester. After the tenth non­school sponsored absence, written verification or documentation will be required as determined by the division principals. o If a student is going to be absent for a planned non school­sponsored reason such as a family trip, college visit, or medical procedure, a completed ​
Pre­Arranged Absence
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​Form, available online or in the division offices, must be turned in prior to the absence. Tardy Policy o Students should arrive on campus by 7:45 a.m. Homeroom/advisory begins spromptly at 7:50 a.m. ​Students who are not present in homeroom/advisory must report directly to the reception desk in the main office before they may attend class. o Students who arrive to advisory after 7:50 a.m. will be assigned an unexcused tardy unless their parent has called to explain their tardiness or they present a written explanation signed by a parent/guardian or a medical/dental office. o We understand unavoidable circumstance occur; however, accumulation of three or more unexcused tardies during a semester or continued difficulty arriving to school on time will result in disciplinary consequences as outlined in the Student Handbook. Leaving Campus With the exception of seniors with off­campus privileges, students may not leave campus during the school day unless they are signed out by a parent/guardian, they present a written note signed by a parent/guardian, or the school has received a phone call from a parent/guardian; e­mails will not be accepted. Students must sign­out at the reception desk prior to leaving and sign­in if they return to campus. Seniors Seniors with off­campus privileges may leave campus during lunch and their free periods without signing out. However, if they leave campus at any other time they must follow the procedures listed above. Seniors are expected to attend advisory each morning even if they have first period unassigned. Seniors who miss advisory, or return to campus late from lunch or a free period, must sign in at the front desk upon arrival to campus. Special Chapels and Assemblies Students are expected to attend all chapel services and assemblies during the school year. Signing out and returning after chapel or assembly is only allowed for prearranged medical appointment, and written verification of the appointment may be required. Please avoid scheduling appointments during special assemblies and chapels. In order to limit transmission of any illness, we want students who have a fever, cough, or other flu­like symptoms to remain at home. We know that some students would prefer to “tough it out” instead of staying home when feeling sick; however, we use a variety of communication methods that help us keep students apprised of the work being done at school. Teachers and advisers will also work with your student when he/she returns to create a reasonable plan for making up missed assignments. We appreciate your assistance in working with the school to help your student adhere to the above mentioned attendance policies. For further clarification on attendance or a school absence due to illness, please refer to the entire attendance policy outlined in the Student Handbook or contact your division office. Sincerely,
Dennis C. Herron
Assistant Headmaster/US Principal
Jason P. Dowdy Middle School Principal