Regular attendance is very important in determining a student's progress. If tardiness or irregular attendance is excessive, the parents will be requested to meet the teacher and principal to discuss possible solutions.
For a day to count as a full school day, there must be a minimum of four (4) hours of instruction, exclusive of lunch or recess periods.

For a day to count as a half-day of school, there must be a minimum of two (2) hours of instruction, exclusive of lunch or recess periods.

ABSENCES

Parents are required to notify the school office for the reason of a student's absence. This should be done each day a student is absent from school due to an illness. A written note from the student's parents/guardian upon return is required when absent three or more days. This is in accordance with the Diocesan policy.

Parents should call the school and request the student's homework assignments if they will be absent. Books and assignments will be left in the school office for pick up at the close of the school day. Assignments given prior to an absence are due upon the student's return. Extension of due dates for any
assignment may be given only by the teacher. Due dates for assignments given during the absence will be determined by the number of days a student is absent from school (i.e., when a student is sick for two days, that student will have until two days after the return to complete the work assigned during the absence. Exception to this rule, long term assignments due during the absence will be due upon return.)

Parents are responsible for attendance. There is a Clay County Directive for absences without justification stating children who are absent without reasons given and/or a doctor's notification are to be reported to the Division of Family Services. St. James School Staff will cooperate with the local authorities and report these situations.

TARDINESS

Tardiness interferes with the student's progress in school, disturbs the classroom, and leads to the formation of undesirable attitudes. A student is considered tardy if they arrive in the classroom after 7:50 A. M. Students who arrive late for school must report to the school office before going to class. Parents are encouraged to come into the office to sign the tardy book if their child is tardy. Students are required to go to the office first, receive a tardy slip and proceed to their classroom. All students must have a tardy slip to enter the classroom. Tardiness for arrival at the school may not be recorded on days when severe weather conditions exist with these cases being determined at the principal's discretion.

After five student tardies, the parents will be notified by the child's teacher. After ten tardies per year, the principal will require a meeting of parents, student and teacher. After ten unexcused tardies per year the dismissal of a student may occur. In- school tardiness will be dealt with by each classroom teacher.

EARLY DISMISSAL

General: When a student needs to leave school before the normal time of dismissal, we strongly encourage a written request to be submitted to the teacher. The student is to wait in the room or school office to be picked up and must be signed out by the person picking them up. The student must be signed in if they return for the remainder of the day. To assure the child's safety, they may not wait outside to be picked up. Routine medical and dental appointments, as much as possible, should be scheduled during non-school hours.

No student is allowed in the building before 7:00 AM. Students arriving between 7:00 AM. to 7:30 AM. will be charged $1.00 per day per child for before school care. After arriving on the school grounds, students are not to leave unless written permission is granted by parents/guardians and it is cleared through the school office. No student should be in the building after the final dismissal bell unless requested by a teacher or they are participating in extended care.
No student is to remain unsupervised on the grounds after school. It is our policy that every class and activity be supervised by qualified personnel at all times.

Illness: If a child becomes ill during the school day, a parent/guardian will be contacted and asked to take the child home. The child must be picked up at the school office and must be signed out by the parent or other person listed on the emergency form on file in the office.