Attendance

NKHS tracks daily attendance and will contact you if your student has an unexcused absence. Our goal is to support consistent attendance for every student.

If a student has three unexcused absences in a single month, we are required by state law (RCW 28A.225.020) to schedule a conference with you and your student to identify barriers to attendance and discuss available supports. The district will develop a plan tailored to your student's needs.

If a student reaches seven unexcused absences in a month or ten within the school year, we are required by law to file a petition with Juvenile Court alleging a violation of mandatory attendance laws (RCW 28A.225.010). This may result in you and your student being asked to appear in Juvenile Court.

Regular attendance is a shared responsibility between the school, students, and families. Please reach out to us if your student is struggling to attend consistently.

Missing even a few days a month adds up quickly and can have a real impact on learning. Here are a few ways to support consistent attendance:

• Set regular sleep and morning routines
• Monitor your child's attendance record and address patterns early
• Talk with your child about why attendance matters
• Reach out to teachers or counselors if you notice changes in your child's attitude toward school
• Encourage involvement in extracurricular activities to help your child feel connected

Students needing to miss school for an approved reason (see Board Policy 3122) are to have their parent or guardian contact the attendance office in advance for an excused absence. All students are to provide documentation to the attendance office WITHIN 48 HOURS from a parent or guardian upon return to school. Failure to provide necessary documentation may result in disciplinary action.

STUDENTS WHO MUST LEAVE SCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL DAY MUST CHECK OUT (with parent approval prior to leaving campus) WITH THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE (500 Hall). Please give the office 1-hour minimum notice so that student and teacher may be aware of departure time by calling (360) 396-3107.

Documentation may be provided by:

1. Calling the 24-hour attendance number: (360) 396-3100 - option 2
2. A written note to the attendance office. Phone and written documentation should include:
   • Student's first and last name
   • Date of absence
   • Parent/Guardian name and signature
   • Reason

Absences for reasons other than those described in board policy are unexcused unless arrangements have been approved in advance by following the procedures outlined below (prior arranged absence).

• PRIOR ARRANGED PERSONAL ABSENCE
  To request an absence for one or more days, parents must complete this form. Both the student/parent and the student's teachers need to fill it out.
  • Prior Arranged Absence Form
  • Formulario de ausencia previa concertada
• SCHOOL ABSENCE
  Excused absences or absences for field trips, athletic contests, or other absences created by approved school sponsored functions have guaranteed make-up work privileges as per school policy. A student more than 10 minutes late to class is considered absent.

Students who have an excessive number of absences may be asked to take the Assessment of Barriers to Attendance Survey. According to Washington State Center for Court Research, "the purpose of the survey is to help adults at your child's school or agency to gather data to create a meaningful truancy intervention for your child."

Per state law, we are obligated to monitor daily attendance and alert parents/guardians of any unexcused absences. If your child has three unexcused absences within a month, a conference involving you, your child, and us will be arranged to address any issues and discuss available support systems to ensure regular attendance.

For elementary school students, if there are more than 7 excused absences in any month or 15 in a school year, we must reach out to you and plan a conference at a time that suits both parties. The purpose of this conference is to overcome any challenges to regular attendance and examine available support.

If we have not been successful in substantially reducing your student's absences by the seventh unexcused absence in any month or the fifteenth in a school year, and the student is younger than 17, we are legally required to file a petition and a supporting affidavit for a civil action in juvenile court.

For further details about our attendance policies and procedures (Policy 3122 and Policy 3122P), which comply with Washington State Law, please refer to our excused and unexcused attendance policy.

Students who arrive more than ten minutes late to class will be marked as absent. Unexcused tardiness, defined as being less than five minutes late, may lead to disciplinary measures as outlined below:

• 1st Offense: Student conference with teacher - Warning
• 2nd Offense: Student conference with teacher - Warning
• 3rd Offense: Student conference with teacher - Warning
• 4th Offense: Student conference with teacher - Warning
• 5th Offense: Teacher assigns detention, Parents/Guardian contacted, enters NKDiscipline.
• 6th Offense: Administration Intervention

Chronic tardiness or absenteeism poses a safety risk and may result in changes to the student's schedule, potentially leading to the loss of credit for the class.

Failure to clear an absence within 48 hours upon returning to school will be considered truancy (unexcused). Disciplinary action for truancy may include after-school detention, in-school suspension, and/or suspension*. If truancy continues, the student may be withdrawn from school for the remainder of the semester, resulting in the loss of semester credits and all school privileges. In severe cases, referral to the Kitsap County Juvenile Court (BECCA) may be necessary.

• Additional consequences may include the loss of athletic eligibility, parking privileges, off-campus permits, and participation in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

The school premises are accessible to all students during regular school days from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm. On Wednesdays, designated as early release days, the school remains open for all students from 7:30 am to 2:00 pm. Any student present on the premises outside of these specified hours must be under the direct supervision of qualified school staff. Failure to comply with this regulation may result in the issuance of trespass letters to individuals involved.

North Kitsap strictly enforces a closed campus policy (Board Policy 3242), requiring students to remain on campus for the entire school day once they arrive. During passing times, students are not permitted to leave campus or visit their cars. However, students with valid reasons to leave campus must obtain permission to do so.

For medical or dental appointments, students must check out through the Attendance Office if they need to leave during the school day. Prior to departure, the student must provide written or phone permission from their parent or guardian, at least 1 hour in advance, to verify the absence. In the event of illness or emergency, the attendance office will contact parents to obtain permission.

Obtaining an off-campus pass also serves as an official excusal. Juniors and seniors in good standing have the opportunity to apply for an off-campus permit sticker, granting them permission to be off campus solely during their designated lunch period. It is expected that students will behave responsibly both on and off campus. If a student fails to adhere to the school's rules and regulations while on campus, it indicates a lack of responsibility and may result in the revocation of off-campus privileges at any time.

By signing the permission form, parents and guardians acknowledge that they assume full responsibility for their student while they are off campus. Students should be aware that possessing an off-campus permit does not permit them to leave campus for the purpose of smoking. All students are expected to comply with the school's smoking policy, which strictly prohibits smoking within sight of the school.