Attendance Policy

Each excused absence shall be explained by telephone at the high school and by telephone and/or in writing (and signed by the student's parent) at the middle and elementary schools. The excuse shall be submitted to the Attendance Office and maintained in the student's school record.

The following are considered excused absences:

1. Personal illness. Medical verification may be required.
2. Family emergencies or crises.
3. Attendance at a funeral.
4. Religious holidays or religious instruction.
5. Medical and legal appointments. Verification of appointment may be required.
6. Severe inclement weather when District schools are not officially closed.
7. Attendance at special events of educational value, approved by the principal or designee. A written excuse from the parent or guardian before the absence. (A child may not be excused for more than ten (10) days in a school year under this type of excuse, per state statute 118.15(3))

Absences that exceed the number of days permitted by State Statutes, despite parent approval, are unexcused absences. An exception to this rule is a documented medical excuse. Home and in-school suspensions are excused absences.

If a child is to be absent for a day or a known number of days, parents are to call to inform the school of the child's absence any time before 8:30 a.m. Leave a message on the answering machine if the office is not open with the child's name, grade, teacher and reason for absence.

If a child is absent and the school has not been notified, a member of the office staff will phone the home. If there is no answer at home, the emergency number or the parent's place of business will be called in an attempt to reach the parents. Board Policy 5200

If your child must be picked up during the school day, please notify the teacher by a note that morning. The child will be sent to the office at the appointed time. Children will be sent home on the bus if the office is not officially notified by note or phone call. Please pick up your child in the office, not from the classroom.

The Board of Education requires all students enrolled in the schools of this District to attend school regularly in accordance with the laws of the State. The District's educational program is predicated upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. The regular contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in a well-planned instructional activity under the tutelage of a competent teacher are vital to this purpose. Regular attendance is a responsibility that should be shared by parents, students, and the school.

The "School Attendance Officer" (Superintendent or designee) of each school shall determine daily which students enrolled in the school are absent from school and whether that absence is excused, unexcused or truant.

The School District of Greenfield encourages the planning of family vacations and trips during non-school days. It is extremely important that your child be given the proper time to be instructed in the curricular areas to insure their success. In the rare cases when your child must be out of school, please contact both the school office and the teacher as soon as possible to make arrangements for work to be completed. Students who are absent for vacation are subject to the regulations of the state statute.

Truant absence is any absence of part or all of one (1) or more days from school during which the School Attendance Office, principal, or teacher has not been notified of the legal cause of such absence by the parent or guardian of the absent student, and also means intermittent attendance carried on for the purpose of defeating the intent of Wisconsin State Statutes.

Habitual truant means a student who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for part or all of five (5) or more days on which school is held during a school semester under Wisconsin State Statutes.

Parents/guardians and persons authorized by parents/guardians are welcome to visit classrooms in the district. This is arranged by contacting the building principal in advance of the visit to ensure that the visit time and date is during a time when classroom instruction will not be disrupted. Student visitors are not allowed.