The Colony High School
Lewisville Independent School District
Attendance
Important Notice:
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) requires a Verification of Enrollment (VOE) for any student applying for an instruction permit and/or a driver’s license under the age of 18. To submit a request for a VOE, please email attendance or have the student come to the Attendance Office to sign-up.
*** Please allow 24 hours to process the request.
For the school year, five absences are allowed, provided a parent note is submitted for any reason. For pre-planned trips or outside school activity absences, parents will have 5 additional absences and will need to complete a pre-planned absence form. As an important reminder, absences with a doctor’s note, received within three days, are excused and do not count towards the parent note or pre-planned absence count.
Regular school attendance is essential for students to maximize their learning opportunities. Absences from class may result in serious disruption in the mastery of the knowledge and skills needed to progress to the next grade. It is crucial that students and parents make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.
A student can be considered absent if he or she misses all or part of the school day, including late arrival and early pick up.
Attendance for Credit (Texas Law Requirement)
Under Texas law, students must be in attendance for at least 90% of the time a class is offered. Students who do not meet this requirement—regardless of the reason for the absence—will lose credit for the class.
To restore credit and avoid retention, the student must complete a plan determined by the campus principal or attendance committee.
Attendance Committee
The committee should be comprised of the following personnel (but not limited to):
- Campus administrator
- Campus teachers (must represent the majority of the committee)
- Campus counselors
- Campus nurse
- Campus special education teacher
The intent of this committee is to include individuals who know the student and can consider the circumstances surrounding the absences when determining the plan for regaining credit.
Under Texas law, a student who experiences more than 3 unexcused absences (full or partial day) in a four week period or 10 unexcused absences (full or partial day) in a 6 month period, may be referred to the court for truancy. This includes unexcused late arrivals and early pick up. Charges may also be filed against the parent in these circumstances.
Texas law allows students to miss school and still be considered present for several specific events. For more information about absences related to religious holy days, obtaining a driver's license, participating in a college visit, participating in career exploration, court appearances, and other allowable absences in the Texas Education Code, please see the LISD Student Handbook.
What steps do I take if my child is absent?
Communication with the school each time your child is absent is critical or the absence may be unexcused. Unexcused absences are considered truancy. The grade for makeup work after an unexcused absence will be a zero. [See Board Policy EIA Local]. Contact your child’s attendance clerk to report an absence: https://www.lisd.net/attendanceclerks.
Parents should provide a note, documenting the reason for the absence, to the school immediately upon the child’s return, and not later than three days after the absence. If the child was seen by a health care provider, a note from that provider is always preferred. If the student was present PART of the school day and missed the remainder for a health care appointment, a note from that provider should be given to the school within 3 days. In this circumstance, the time away from school is NOT considered an absence.
TCHS Attendance Procedures
Appointments
Parents/Guardian must come into the building to check out their student. You also must have your Driver’s License with you to be scanned. Should a student be required to leave school for a medical appointment, you should send a note to school with your student that morning or call your student’s attendance clerk. Notes must have your signature and phone number where you can be reached. It is difficult to have your student ready when we only have short notice, therefore the likelihood that you may be late to the appointment is increased with little or no advanced notice. All appointments should be scheduled outside of school hours when possible. Please bring a medical note from the doctor’s office for all medical appointments upon return. Appointments for personal business are unexcused.
Illness
Students that become ill during the day must be dismissed through the Nurse. If not, the absence will be unexcused.
Absences
Please call the student’s attendance clerk as soon as you become aware of the absence, but NO LATER THAN THE DAY OF THE ABSENCE. Voicemail is available 24 hours per day and this is truly the best way to report the absence. Clerks will not call parents back unless requested to do so or if the clerk needs additional information. Phone are not answered prior to 8:30 a.m. as we are busy admitting students to class. Send a note to school with your child on the day they return to school. This note should contain your signature and a phone number where you can be reached. Students not in class before the tardy bell rings due to getting an admit are considered to have an unexcused tardy. Admits are to be obtained before school begins.
The pre-planned absence requests must be submitted to your child’s attendance clerk at least 1 week before the absence has occurred.
Students are allowed 5 state absences and 5 pre-planned absence requests.
Arriving Late to School
Please check in with attendance at the attendance window to receive an admit to class.
Tardy
There is a 9 minute tardy window this year. If a student is tardy (1-13 mins) to any class, the teacher will input the tardy. If a student arrives to class after 9 minutes, they are absent.
Reminder that State Funding time is 10:05 A.M.
Verification of Enrollment
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) requires a Verification of Enrollment (VOE) for any student applying for an instruction permit and/or a driver’s license under the age of 18. To submit a request for a Verification of Enrollment (VOE), please email or call the attendance office in advance. Students sign up for these in the Attendance Office.
**Please allow 24 hours to process the request.
College Visits
Juniors and Seniors are permitted two college visits per school year. Pre-approval from an Assistant Principal is no longer required; however, students must submit verification of their visit to the Attendance Office after returning. Documentation must be on the college or university letterhead and include the name of the student, the date of the tour, and confirmation that the student was present.