Winslow Elementary School

    301 E Porter Street

    Winslow, Indiana 47598

    United States of America

   "Home of the Eskimos"

    Built 1966/Renovated 2001

 Pike County School

Corporation

Rated as a "Top 100

School District in the U.S.A."

for the Year 2000

by the Editors of

The Wall Street Journal & OffSpring Magazine

ATTENDANCE

            The attendance policy at Pike County Elementary School is based on the premise that something important happens each day in each class.  Research has proven that there is a direct relationship between good attendance and successful academic achievement.  The following attendance policy has been developed to promote good school attendance.

It is the parent’s responsibility to call the school by 9:00 a.m. the day a child is absent.

CLASSIFICATION OF ABSENCES

Documented absences not counted toward the county attendance policy:

a. Medical, dental, and/or other clinical appointments for the students. 

A statement from the doctor or therapist must verify appointments.

b. Student illness, hospitalization, or surgery documented by a statement from the doctor.

c. Funerals of relatives or friends must be verified in writing by the parent.

d. Court appearances where the student is required to attend.  Proper paperwork from the Court is required.

Documented absences that count toward the county attendance policy:

a.   Student illness verified by a phone call on the day of the absence or a note within 24 hours of the absence if there is no phone in the home.

b.   Family emergencies – must be verified in writing by the parent.

c.    Other examples of absences, but not limited to, are oversleeping, car trouble, etc.

 TARDIES

Tardy Policy:

a. A child will be considered tardy in the morning after the tardy bell rings at 8:15 a.m.

b. A child will be considered tardy in the afternoon if they leave before the dismissal bell.

c. A student will be considered a ½ day absent if an hour of school is missed either in the a.m. or p.m.

Letter from Boyd Toler

Parents and Students

Winslow Elementary School

Petersburg Elementary School

Otwell Elementary School

     Re:  Legal consequences for truancy

Dear Parents and Students:

     No doubt you have been repeatedly told about the value of an education.  School Attendance is directly related to grades and graduation from school.  A person who graduates from high school makes more money over his or her lifetime than someone who does not graduate.  When a child misses school, he or she is prevented from obtaining an education that will help him or her succeed in life.

     Education is so important that Indiana law, with a few exceptions, requires children from 6 to 18 years of age to attend school each day it is in session.  The law also requires that a person who has the care of a dependent, such as a parent or guardian caring for a child under 18 years of age, must provide that dependent with an education.  A person who knowingly or intentionally deprives a dependent of the education required by law commits “Neglect of a Dependent,” a Class D felony.  This law does not require that a person intend for the child not to receive an education, only that he or she knows there is a high probability that his actions (or inactions) are preventing the child from getting an education.  The sentence for a Class D felony can be from the minimum of 6 months up to the maximum of 3 years incarceration.  The presumptive or standard sentence is 18 months incarceration.   A person can also be fined up to $10,000.00 for committing a Class D felony.

     In addition, it is unlawful for a parent or guardian to fail, neglect, or refuse to send his or her child to school in compliance with the compulsory attendance law.  Such a violation is a Class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 180 days incarceration and/or up to a $1,000.00 fine.  As you can see, Indiana law considers a child’s education to be very important and provides for very serious consequences for parents and guardians who do not send their children to school and provide their children with an education.

     Children who are in grade school usually depend on their parent or guardian to ensure they make it to school, so we generally hold a parent responsible for a child’s failure to attend school.  Nevertheless, there can also be consequences for the child, in addition to being deprived of an education.  Indiana law says that a child who fails to attend school as required by law commits a delinquent act.  If juvenile proceedings are initiated, the child could be placed on six months of probation and warned of the consequences for not attending school.  Those consequences could be the Court ordering placement in detention, performance of community service, participation in psychological therapy, imposition of a curfew, screening for illegal drugs, and/or removal from the custody of the parent or guardian.  If a child fails to attend school one additional time without a valid excuse, any or all of these consequences may be imposed by the judge.

Cordially,

Boyd A. Toler

Prosecuting Attorney

83^rd Judicial Circuit

cc: File  

Val Fleig

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 Disclamer

The information provided within the Pike County School Corporation website is provided for educational purposes only. 

While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of all information provided, it is subject to change without notice and cannot be guaranteed to be current.  Furthermore, the authors of these sites do not have editorial oversight for all documents referenced here and cannot be held responsible for their content.

Copyrighted by the Pike County School Corporation, Petersburg, Indiana
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Last updated: April 29, 2011.