SCHOOL ABSENCES

Reporting Absences:

If a student is absent, it is the responsibility of the parent to do one of the options listed below prior to 9:30 a.m. the morning of the absence.

1. Click on the “Report an Absence." Complete all the fields, and include details on why the student is absent so that attendance can be coded correctly. Don’t forget to hit submit when the form is completed.
2. Call the high school attendance office (940) 262-7777, option 2 and leave a detailed voice message.
   -lnclude the student’s name, date of absence, reason for absence, estimated date of return, your name, and a phone number where you can be reached.

Early Dismissal:

If a student must leave campus early for any reason other than a school-sponsored event, the student must be signed out. Parent permission is required for any student prior to leaving campus. As long as the early dismissal process is followed, the parent/guardian does not need to come inside to sign the student out.  

Parent pick-up and parent sign-out are only at the front of the high school. If anyone other than the parent is coming to pick up a student, the parent must notify the school about who is coming. Anytime a parent comes into the school to pick up, please bring a valid ID.

Parents can provide permission for a student to leave class and campus in one of the following ways:

1. Preferred Method: Complete and Submit the “ Early Dismissal “ form.
    -Complete all the fields, and include details on why the student is leaving, so that attendance can be coded correctly. Don’t forget
      to hit submit when the form is completed.

Note: Argyle High School is a closed campus. Students are not allowed to be signed out to leave/return during lunch for personal reasons.

    -If the student needs to be signed out within the hour, it is best to use option (3).

2. Send a note with the student.
    -The student needs to bring the note to the Eagle’s Nest prior to first period or between classes, so they can be given an Early Dismissal pass. They will show the pass to the teacher when it is time for the student to sign out.

3. Call (940) 262-7777, and push 1
    -If a student needs to be located during a class that is held in the Athletics, Fine Arts area, etc. it may take some time to locate them to come sign out.

Going home sick:
If a student is ill, he or she must go to the nurse’s office to be assessed by the school nurse prior to being able to leave campus. If the student checks out “sick” or “personal” without seeing the nurse, the absence will not be excused.

For questions about attendance, please email amy.ruggles@argyleisd.com

Documentation Required for Absences:

When a student must be absent from school, the student must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence. This note must be delivered to an attendance clerk in the Attendance Office within 3 days of the student’s return to school. Any student absence of more than 3 consecutive days because of a personal illness must be accompanied by a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s extended absence from school. 

When a student is absent from class for a medical or legal appointment, the absences will be excused when the school is provided with documentation from the medical or legal provider. Once again, the student has 3 days from his or her return to school to provide proper documentation, or the absence will be considered unexcused. Unexcused absences will result in a maximum grade of 70.

A student whose absence is excused for an appointment with a healthcare professional shall not be penalized for the absence if the student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of the appointment and brings a note from the healthcare professional verifying the appointment. 

A  consultation over the phone or via video (telemedicine) is considered an appointment with a healthcare professional. An appointment with a school nurse is not considered a meeting with a healthcare professional for school funding purposes. (per Texas Education Agency Student Attendance Policy)

If a student is absent for the entire school day due to a doctor's appointment, the absence will be excused with documentation from the appointment. This full-day absence is excused but will count as an absence toward final exam exemption.

Collecting Missed Work for a Student:

Once a student has missed 2 consecutive days of school, a parent may request missed work that can be completed at home. We suggest that parents or the student contact the student’s teachers via e-mail and ask for any missed work. If needed, teachers will leave the assignments in the high school office for parents to pick up after 3:00 p.m. on the day requested. 

Compulsory Attendance:

All students enrolled in public schools in Texas are required by state law to be in attendance at least 90% of the total school days in each semester to receive credit for the classes in which they are enrolled. Failure to attend at least 90% of the school days may result in loss of credit and cause a student to have to repeat some or all of the courses for that semester/year. 

Excused Absences:

State law and school guidelines governing attendance require that excused absences pertain to illnesses, medical or legal appointments, funerals of immediate family members, college days and school-sponsored trips. 

Religious Holy Days: 

If a student is absent due to the observance of religious holy days, the student shall not be penalized for the absence. Excused days include days of travel to or from a site where the student will observe the holy days. Excused days for travel shall be limited to not more than one day for travel to and one day for travel from the site of the observance.

To be considered a religious holy day, the day should be one generally recognized by the student’s religious denomination as a holy day that is required to be observed by all members of that denomination. Church retreats, camps, mission trips, individual religious rites (baptisms, christenings, bar mitzvahs, etc) are not considered holy days.

Absence Related to the DPS/DMV:

Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, state law and school guidelines allow a for a student who is 15 years of age or older to be excused from school for not more than one day for the following purposes:

- Obtaining a driver’s license; or 

- Obtaining a learner license/permit

This absence will be excused only when documentation is provided to verify the DPS visit. This does not include taking a driving test with a Driving School.   Students must provide the attendance clerk with a copy of the paper license or permit within 3 days of the absence.

College Visits:

Juniors and Seniors are allowed two school days per year by the state for college visits. One of these days may be used as a travel day. Prior to a college visit students need to pick up a yellow College Day Form from the counselor’s office to have it signed by a counselor and principal. A copy of this form should be given to the attendance clerk before the visit and the yellow form needs to be signed by a college official on the visit. The student will also need to obtain a letter from the college on the day of their visit. This should be on the institution’s letterhead with the student’s full name and the date of the visit. It also needs to state that the student was on campus for an official visit. 

The yellow form and the college letter must be turned in to an attendance clerk within 3 school days of the visit.  Once received and coded the absence will not count against the student’s absences.  

Absence for Military Recruitment:

Students who are 17 years of age or older and pursuing enlistment in a branch of the United States Armed Services or the National Guard are allowed 2 days per school year for “military recruit” absences.  The student needs to notify the school prior to the absence and, after the absence, must provide a letter from the recruiter that includes the student’s name, the military branch, the date of the visit, and a signature by the recruiting officer. This letter must be turned in to the attendance clerk within 3 school days of the visit. Once received and coded, the absence will be excused.