Tardies, Visitors, and Early Dismissals
Early Dismissal
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Parents/guardians of students who must be dismissed early from school, should communicate with the Main Office of the high school in advance, prior to 7:35am, the reason and time the student will be dismissed. Parents are expected to provide their student with a signed and dated note indicating the time and reason for dismissal. The student is to bring the note to Mrs. DiMario or Mrs. Khalil in the main office the morning of the early dismissal day. This communication will be required for a dismissed student to be considered “excused.” Parents that are picking up a student should park in a visitor’s spot on the track side of the building and remain in their car. The dismissed student will exit at the center door at the track side of the building.
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When notification before 7:35am is not possible, parents/guardians will call Mrs. DiMario or Mrs. Khalil in the main office at (978) 794-1711, ext: 51111 or ext: 51113] to notify the school in order to communicate the need to dismiss the student. Upon arrival to campus, the parent/guardian will park in a visitor’s spot on the track side of the building and proceed to the center door at the track side of the building and enter the first set of doors. They should then ring the bell to alert the main office staff that they have arrived. A staff member will facilitate the sign out process and the student will be released from school to the parent/guardian at the main doors.
Attendance and Absences
Student Attendance
In accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, all students are required to attend school. Learning is a continuous process. Students must be in school punctually and regularly in order for successful learning to take place.
The North Andover School Committee, realizing the importance of regular attendance as a factor in successful academic achievement, endorses that the only acceptable reasons for being absent from school are those caused by personal illness or quarantine, death or serious illness in the family, weather so inclement as to endanger the health of a child, religious holidays, court appearances and other exceptional reasons approved by the school administration. Absences for any other reasons are considered unexcused absences. The school principal or designee shall be responsible for viewing attendance records and initiating appropriate actions at the building level to address unexcused pupil absences and tardiness. Students are expected to make up any work missed due to excused absences or tardies. A student’s work will not be graded and inputted into PowerSchool unless a valid note is on file that results in an excused absence or documented absence.
DESE requires attendance for our in-person and remote students each day and each period. They require every school/district to ensure the method of collecting and reporting attendance that is consistent across classrooms and clearly communicated to students and families.
Please see the Credit Reduction section below for additional information on Student Attendance and Student Absence Notification Program.
Tardiness
The following procedures will be used to reduce the number of people entering the building during the school day:
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Students who are tardy (after 7:40 am) will enter the school through the center door on the track side of the building and sign-in upon entering the school. Students will proceed directly to their scheduled class after signing in. Parents are expected to provide a hand written, signed note that the tardy student can drop off at the reception area. They can also continue to provide an electronic communication (email) by email to Mrs. DiMario or Mrs. Khalil in the main office [dimariom@
northandoverpublicschools.com or khalilk@ northandoverpublicschools.com] indicating the reason for late arrival. This communication will be required for a student’s tardiness to be considered “excused.” -
Please note that three non documented tardies are equivalent to one absence for credit reduction purposes. A timely parent note allows a tardy or absence to be excused so that the student can receive makeup work privileges. However, it is not documented and will count toward credit reduction.
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In the event a student forgets materials at home (i.e. snack/lunch, homework, etc.), parents can drop off items at the reception area through the center door on the track side of the building. Please be sure to label the items.
Reporting Absences
The absence line has returned to North Andover High School. If your student is going to be absent from school, a parent/guardian is required to use our call in line 978-794-1711 Ext. 3 by 8:00am to report the absence. If a call is not made by 8:00am on the day of the absence, we encourage the parent/guardian to call the absence line for up to 24 hours after the student has returned to school. The parent/guardian has the option to provide a handwritten, signed note that the student can drop off at the main office the morning they return to school. The note should contain the reason for the absence and the date(s)of the absence. Either the phone call or the note will be the required communication for a student’s absence to be considered “excused.” Please note that excused absences count toward credit reduction. A timely parent communication allows for an absence to be excused so that the student can receive makeup work privileges. However, it is not documented and will count toward credit reduction. No student may participate in a school activity on a day he/she is listed as absent. Doctors’ notes WILL NOT be accepted more than 10 days from the date of absence.
Please note:
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A student who reports to school after 11:00 a.m. on an in-person day is considered absent for that day. Similarly, a student who is dismissed from school before 11:00 a.m. on an in-person day is counted as absent.
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No student may participate in a school based activity, including athletics on a day he/she is listed as absent.
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In case of extended absences of three or more days, parents/guardians should contact their child’s Guidance Counselor (listed on the cover page) to arrange for work.