Attendance/Student Service Procedures

The Board of School Directors of the Souderton Area School District, consistent with Pennsylvania law and regulation, will not condone nor permit absences from school for an unlawful reason. Responsibility toward school personnel, success, and proper study habits are established during the elementary and continued through the middle and high school years. For this reason, attendance is expected and necessary for all grade levels. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every student enrolled in the public schools of the Souderton Area School District to be in daily school attendance except for the following reasons:

• Personal illness.
• Quarantine of the individual or home.
• Recovery from an accident.
• Obtaining professional health care or therapy services rendered by a licensed practitioner of the healing arts in any state, commonwealth or territory.
• Death in the immediate family (five [5] days maximum).
• Exceptional urgent reasons - Must pertain to the individual student as determined by the principal or designee.
• Religious holiday - Upon written parental request; students may be excused from school for religious holidays observed by bona fide religious groups.
• Attendance of classes for religious instruction: Upon written parental request, a pupil shall be excused from school in order to attend classes for religious instruction pursuant to Section 1546 of the Public School Code of 1949. The excusal shall be limited to a total of not more than thirty-six (36) hours per school year. There shall be no penalty attached to an absence for religious holidays or instruction.
• Suspension from school.
• Required court appearance.
• In case of an exceptional student, where absence is caused by or directly related to the student's exceptionality.
• Healthcare - Upon written parental request, a student may be excused during school hours for the purpose of obtaining professional healthcare or therapy services only if the following requirements are met:
  • The health or therapeutic services are to be rendered by Commonwealth-licensed practitioners.
  • It is not practical or possible for the pupil to receive the services outside of school hours.
  • The time of necessary absence from school involves a minimum of interference with the student's regular program of study.
• Those students in an approved program of homebound instruction.
• All EDUCATIONAL TRIPS with a family member or guardian must have prior approval of the principal or his/her designee. Approval may be granted for requests for educational trips to a maximum of ten (10) school days per year. The Superintendent, on a case-by-case basis, will review exceptions. See the District calendar for the testing schedule and the District's Attendance Policy.

Requests for absence for a family or educational trip must be made in ADVANCE except in emergency situations. "Upon receipt of a written request from the parents of the pupils involved, pupils may be excused from school attendance to participate in an education tour or trip provided during the school term at the expense of the parents when such tour or trip is evaluated by the District Superintendent and pupil participants therein are subject to direction and supervision by an adult personage acceptable to the District Superintendent and to the parents of the pupil concerned." Copied from State Board regulations - Pupil Attendance, S11.26; October 23, 2004. For each day of absence, a student will be allowed one day to make up missed work that was assigned during the absence.

** Note: Educational/Family Trips will not be excused when PSSA testing is scheduled. See page 2 of the SASD calendar for the testing schedule.

When a student has been absent for three (3) days during the current school year without a lawful excuse, district staff shall provide notice to the person in parental relations who resides in the same household. The notice will include description of the consequences if the student becomes habitually truant. If the student incurs additional unexcused absences after the issuance of the notice a School Attendance Improvement Conference will occur. Students that are habitually truant may be referred to the local children and youth agency and/or have a citation filed with the appropriate 

Additional information concerning attendance can be found in Policy 204 – Attendance may result in a District Court referral with fines and/or community service assessed.

When a student returns to school after an absence, a written excuse must be provided by a parent/guardian. This excuse must be for one of the permissible reasons for absence stated in Part A in order for the absence to be excused. Unless a written excuse is presented within three (3) school days after a student returns to school, the absence will be counted as unexcused/unlawful. A doctor's excuse may be required for any absence due to illness or injury that is three (3) or more consecutive days in duration and/or for a student who is consistently absent from school.

A maximum of ten (10) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification shall be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond ten (10) cumulative days may require an excuse from a doctor (licensed practitioner of the healing arts).

Use the following link to download a printable copy of the Absence or Tardiness Excuse Form.

The maintenance of accurate records of students' addresses is vital to the school organization. Therefore, if at any time during the term a student should move to a new address, the parent/guardian must present the updated information in person at the SASD District Registration office (215.723.6061) immediately.

Please note that if parents do not reside together, only the parent with the primary residence will be able to view and update the phone number designated for their child(ren).

Participation in a school-sponsored activity requires that the student must be in attendance at school on the day of the activity. The student must arrive at school no later than 9:14 a.m. to fulfill this attendance requirement. An unexcused tardiness, even when the student arrives prior to 9:14 a.m., could declare a participant ineligible and prevent him/her from participating in a co-curricular activity. Students with appointments during the school day should plan accordingly and make every effort to miss no more than the equivalent of two periods.

The student must be in attendance the day before a holiday if the activity falls on a holiday or the following day. Exceptions to this procedure may be presented to the administration for review on a case-by-case basis. Whenever possible, pre-approval for an absence from school on a school-sponsored activity day should be requested. Students experiencing academic difficulty may be denied the privilege to participate in a co-curricular activity.

Parent written requests for bus passes must be presented in the Attendance/Student Services Office on the day on which the request is to take place. If a student forgets their written request at home, the parent must bring in or fax another written request. A verbal request will not be honored. It is preferred that students obtain bus passes during their lunch. Please include a phone number where you can be contacted should the school have any questions. Please obtain bus passes from the Attendance Office.

All students who require early dismissals must present such requests in written form, signed by a parent/guardian, who will give a definite reason why the student must leave early and who will pick him/her up. These notes must be presented in the Attendance/Student Services Office during homeroom on the day on which the early dismissal is to take place. An early dismissal pass will be issued.

Students are not permitted to leave school unless an approved adult comes into the school. The school reserves the right to request identification from anyone picking up a student. When signing out, students should sign the clipboard in the Attendance/Student Services Office. If a student returns to school, he/she should sign in their returning time in the Attendance/Student Services Office and obtain a pass to return to class.

Any student who has an early dismissal note must report to the Attendance/Student Services Office at the time of dismissal to:

1. Sign the clipboard.
2. Go to the main office to meet parent/guardian.
3. Students returning to school must sign in their returning time and obtain a pass. (Parents are not required to sign student in.)

Students who become ill must report to the school nurse. Students are not permitted to call parent/guardian from their cell phone or from any other locations (other than the health suite) if they are ill. The principal (or his/her designee) or the school nurse only may excuse a student early for illness.

Arrangements should be made so that your child is aware of your expectations when school is required to close early or cancel activities.

When a student has been absent for three days, we ask that parents call the school to request homework. Homework will then be available twenty-four hours after the request is made, or on the fourth day. Homework can be picked up in the Main Office by 3:00 PM the next day. Students absent for more than three days should contact their school counselor for assistance.

Students with excused absences or on out-of-school suspension must make up all missed work. Tests that are given during the term of the absence or upon return from the absence must be taken prior to the absence or immediately upon return from the absence if no new in- formation is presented during the term of the absence.

For each day of absence, a student will be allowed one day to make up missed work that was assigned during the absence. Students must ask their teachers for deadlines for acceptance of work.

Indian Crest Middle School
The automobile drop-off zone is located at the Main Entrance and in the Science Wing Parking Lot off Route 113. Parents are asked to pull forward the full length of the building to allow as many cars as possible access to the drop-off zone. For the safety of our students, please use this area before and after school. The speed limit on school property is 15 mph. Pick-up time is 2:50p.m. If you need to pick up your student before that time, you will need to come into the Main Office. Walkers or car riders will not be permitted to leave the building until 2:50p.m. due to safety concerns.

Indian Valley Middle School
The automobile drop-off zone is located in the front of the school building. Parents are asked to pull forward to the end of the No Parking zone in front of the school to allow as many cars and buses as possible access to this area. For the safety of our students, this area MUST be used for both before and after school drop off and pick up. The speed limit on school property is 15 mph. Pick up time is 2:50p.m. If you need to pick up your student before that time, you will need to come in to the Main Office. Walkers or car riders will not be permitted to leave the building until 2:50p.m. due to safety concerns.

An excused absence will be allowed for religious instruction if a note is presented before the absence occurs. The request should identify the instruction and the dates and hours for which the absence is requested. A note is required upon return to school attesting that the child did in fact participate in and attend religious instruction.

A student is tardy if he/she arrives to school after the 7:40 AM bell. If a student is late for school he/she should report to Attendance/Student Services Office with his/her note and sign the clipboard. A tardy is deemed excused only if it is a family emergency or an illness. Unexcused tardiness will be recorded. On the tenth tardy and, for each subsequent tardy, the student will receive one office detention.

If a tardy student whether late to school or late to homeroom fails to sign in properly he/she could remain recorded as absent from school and consequently receive an unlawful absence.

The Parent/Guardian must complete a withdraw form which can be obtained from the District Office or the Middle School Office. The withdraw form from the parent/guardian must be presented to the student's counselor two days before the student intends to leave the Souderton Area School District. The request shall include the reason for leaving and the student’s new address.