Parents & Guardians

Attendance Office - 353-7110

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Attendance Policy

By law, any student 5-21 years of age is eligible to attend public school. Students 6-16 years of age are required by law to attend school. The attendance procedures at Nyack High School are designed to ensure that every student obtains the best possible education.

I. ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL

If you are absent from school, it is your parent’s responsibility to notify the attendance office within 24 hours after your absence. The number is 353- 7110. Your parent or guardian should indicate the anticipated length of your absence, especially if it is likely to be more than 3 days. Your absence will be LEGAL if you are sick, have urgent family business, have a religious obligation, must go to court, or go on a college visit. Only 3 college visitation days per year are granted. Your absence from school will be considered ILLEGAL for any other reason

If notification of your absence is not received from parents or guardians within 24 hours, it will be considered ILLEGAL and may not be “cleared” after this time.

1. Making up work missed while absent from school.
   If your absence is legal, you may make up the work you missed in class or turn in work due on that day. If your absence is illegal, you may not make up the work you missed in class or turn in work due on that day. You will receive a zero for the work you missed or the assignment(s) that you did not turn in.
2. Getting work from school while you are absent.
   If you are legally absent from school, homework assignments can be requested through the attendance office on the second day of a full day absence. Teachers will give work to the attendance office, where your parent or guardian may pick it up at any reasonable time during the school day.

II. LEAVING THE BUILDING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

1. The Board of Education establishes an open campus for students at the 12th grade level under the provisions written in Policy 5181. There is no open campus for students at the 9th, 10th and 11th grade levels.
   
   Except as otherwise provided in this Policy, all students at Nyack High School are to remain on school grounds for the duration of the school day, including their lunch period and their café option period(s). Students may be permitted by the Nyack High School Administration to leave school grounds for legitimate purposes submitted in writing to the Principal or his/her designee. Legitimate purposes may include, but is not limited to, attending an internship, work, doctor appointment or family emergency. Parent(s) or guardian(s) must make such request in writing to the High School Principal or his/her designee. Approved students will be issued a permission form that must be presented to the school official/security officer upon leaving the campus.
   
   9th , 10th and 11th Grade Students – The Board of Education has determined that there shall be no open campus for students at the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade levels at Nyack High School, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.
   
   12th Grade Students – Beginning on the first day of the 2013-14 school year, eligible 12th grade level students will be permitted to participate in the open campus policy. The open campus privilege for eligible students is limited to the following conditions:
   1. Eligible 12th grade students may walk-off campus during their lunch period provided they have met the criteria established by the Nyack High School Administration which shall include permission from their parent(s) or guardian(s);
   2. Eligible 12th grade students who have a café option period during the first period of the school day may not attend such café option period for a late arrival to Nyack High School, provided that they have met the criteria established by the Nyack High School Administration for late arrival which shall include written permission from their parent(s) or guardian(s);
   3. Eligible 12th grade students who have a café option period during the last period of the school day may not attend such café option period for an early dismissal from Nyack High School, provided that they have met the criteria established by the Nyack High School Administration for early dismissal which shall include written permission from their parent(s) or guardian(s);
   4. Students may be permitted by the Nyack High School Administration to leave school grounds for legitimate purposes submitted in writing to the Principal or his/her designee. Legitimate purposes may include, but is not limited to, attending an internship, work, doctor appointment or family emergency. Parent(s) or guardian(s) must make such request in writing to the High School Principal or his/her designee. Approved students will be issued a permission form that must be presented to the school official/security officer upon leaving the campus.

In order to be eligible for the open campus privilege, the student must have satisfactory school attendance and demonstrate satisfactory behavior on school grounds and/or at school sponsored events. Parents/guardians of eligible students must opt-in to the open campus privilege on a signed permission form. Any student who does not maintain satisfactory attendance and satisfactory behavior may be subject to loss of the privilege.

12th Grade students will be provided a printed copy of Board Policy 5181 and its regulations (5181-R) as a component of the permission form available in September from the high school main office.

2. Missing class for one or more periods, or leaving the building for the rest of the school day
   1. If your parent or guardian arranges an appointment for you during the school day, she/he must call the attendance office (or send a note with you for the attendance office) in advance, or stop in to the attendance office to personally sign you out. The attendance office will not accept calls or notes “after the fact” for your having left the building early.
   2. If you feel ill you must go to the nurse’s office to get permission to go home. This permission is not given readily. You must really be sick! If you leave without seeing the nurse (even if you call home and leave with your parents’ or guardians’ permission), your absences from class will be considered unexcused, and “make-up” work penalties and discipline consequences will apply.
   3. If you want to leave the building and thereby miss classes for any other reason, you must see your Assistant Principal first. If you leave without seeing the Assistant Principal (even if you call home and leave with your parents’ or guardians’ permission), your absences from class will be considered unexcused, and “make-up” work penalties and discipline consequences will apply

III. LATENESS TO SCHOOL OR TO CLASS

1. If you are to be late to school, your parent or guardian must call the attendance office within 24 hours of your lateness to school. Excessive lateness will result in a disciplinary procedure. When a student misses more than half of the period due to lateness, a cut will be recorded for the period(s). In addition, if you drive to school, your parking privilege may be suspended if you are repeatedly late to school or class or both.
2. On your second lateness to class and thereafter, your teacher will assign you classroom detention. If you fail to serve the teacher detention, your Assistant Principal or Dean will follow up and assign an official school detention(s).

IV. IF YOU CUT CLASS

1. STUDY HALL IS A MANDATORY CLASS. Failure to attend study hall will result in disciplinary action.
2. Unless you are with the nurse, a counselor, or administrator, or are retained by a teacher (and this happens rarely), and you miss a class, it is a CUT. Your teacher will question you about that absence and follow up on your remarks the following day. If you have cut that class, the school will also call your parent or guardian. In addition, if you drive to school, your parking privilege may be suspended if you cut class repeatedly.
3. Upon the third cut, your Assistant Principal/Dean will see you to initiate the administrative disciplinary actions, and call your parents or guardians. This will happen twice. If you continue to cut class and your administrator must see you again, your behavior will be considered insubordinate and a parent meeting will be held. If cutting persists, your grade level administrator will request a meeting with the Principal.

Bell Schedule

NHS Schedule	A Day	B Day	C Day	D Day	NHS Schedule	E Day
7:30-8:26	1	4	3	2	7:30-8:11	1
8:30-9:26	2	1	4	3	8:15-8:56	2
9:30-10:26	3	2	1	4	9:00-9:41	3
10:30-11:14	5 LUNCH	5 LUNCH	5 LUNCH	5 LUNCH	9:45-10:26	4
11:18-12:14	6	9	8	7	10:30-11:14	5 LUNCH
12:18-1:14	7	6	9	8	11:18-11:59	6
1:18-2:14	8	7	6	9	12:03-12:44	7
					12:48-1:29	8
					1:33-2:14	9

 

Pupil Absences

Parents: If your child is going to be absent or late:

1. Call the Middle School Attendance Office (845-353-7205).
2. Absences must be called in AND an absence note with the reason why your child was absent must be brought in for the absence to be considered an excused absence.
3. If a student is late to school, they will be marked TDY (legally late) or ILT (illegally tardy); if not phoned in.
4. If a student is late MORE than 20 minutes, they will be marked ABX (legal) or ILA (illegally) absent.

Absences due to illness 3 days or more require a medical note upon student’s return to school.

If a student is going to be absent for two or more days, make arrangements with the Guidance Department (845-353-7220) to obtain homework assignments. Parents may pick up these homework packets after 2:50pm, or they may be sent home with a friend. In case of a one-day absence, the student should contact a friend with the same schedule to get the assignments; or check class web pages.

Tardiness

We recognize that regular school attendance is a major component of academic success. Students arriving late miss valuable instructional time, and disrupt the instruction of others. Therefore, students are expected to arrive at the Middle School each morning no later than 8:04 a.m.

Unexcused tardiness can result in disciplinary action such as detention or in-school suspension. Students may also be denied the privilege of participating in or attending extracurricular events.

Reporting Student Absences

All student absences must be reported to the Nurse’s Office at 845-353-7250 every day.
Please call as early as possible.

Voicemail is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

If a student’s absence has not been reported or an office staff member has not been notified in advance, the Attendance Clerk will call home to ensure the student is accounted for.

Your prompt cooperation helps prevent unnecessary calls.

For anticipated absences, please notify your child’s teacher in writing. The teacher will then share that information with the Attendance Clerk.

In case of emergencies, the Attendance Clerk can be reached directly at 845-353-7241.

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To Report an Absence

📞 Call 845-353-7250 (Voicemail available 24/7)

Thank you for your continued cooperation!

Student absences must be reported to 353-7270 or 353-7261 every day.

This should be done as early as possible in the AM, 8:50 at the latest. Messages can be left on the Nurse's voicemail around the clock any day of the week. Messages will be retrieved every morning.

If you haven't called to report your child's absence or written to the teacher in advance advising that your child is going to be out, you will receive a call from the Attendance Clerk to make sure that your child is accounted for. Your cooperation in calling promptly avoids unnecessary calls which cause anxiety for all concerned.

Teachers should be advised in writing of anticipated absences for varying reasons. The classroom teacher will then forward the information to the Attendance Clerk.

In emergency situations, the Attendance Clerk can always be reached directly at 353-7261. AGAIN, THE NUMBER TO REPORT ABSENCES IS: 353-7261. Voicemail is on 24 hours, 7 days. Thank you so much.

• Student illness related absences must be reported to the Nurse @ 353-7290.
• Absences for those not ill should be reported to the office @ 353-7280.

Parents must notify the school/nurse as early as possible in the morning; before the start of the school day -- 8:50AM. Messages can be left on the Nurse's voicemail around the clock any day of the week. Messages will be retrieved every morning. Students should be in the building at 8:45AM. After 8:50, a Late Pass is needed from the office. Please do not email teachers with absence messages. Absences must be reported by telephone to the nurse or office.

If you haven't called to report your child's absence you will receive a call from the Attendance Clerk to make sure that your child is accounted for. Your cooperation in calling promptly avoids unnecessary calls which cause anxiety for all concerned. It is the parent responsibility to notify the school of absences.

If you inform the teacher in writing of anticipated absences for varying reasons, the classroom teacher will then forward the information to the Attendance Clerk.

AGAIN, THE NUMBER TO REPORT ABSENCES IS: 353-7290. Voicemail is on 24 hours, 7 days. Thank you very much.

Any change in dismissal requires a note to teacher via book bag. Students will be sent to office at time on dismissal note. Without a note, a student will follow his/her regular dismissal. Thank you for scheduling doctor/ dentist appointments after school hours.