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Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is essential to learning. It also reinforces skills that are essential to students for future education and employment.  For these reasons, the New Mexico Compulsory School Attendance Law requires that all students of appropriate age and condition attend classes regularly (NMSA 22-12-1, et seq., 2009). Maintaining regular school attendance is the joint responsibility of students, parents, educators, and the legal system. In accordance with LAPS Policy 5110, the following rules for school attendance shall be observed and enforced for students attending Los Alamos High School.

TO EXCUSE AN ABSENCE

Please provide the following information via email, phone call, OR written note:
1. Student name & grade level.
2. A brief reason for the absence with the date and time away from school.  (Illness,  Bereavement, etc.).
3. Parent name, daytime phone number, and signature (if sending a written note).

  • Email the Attendance Office at lahsattendance@laschools.net from a parent’s e-mail address  OR
  • Call the LAHS Absence Line at 663-2511 before 10:00 AM but no later than 24 hours following the absence OR
  • Send a parent-signed note with your student to the attendance office.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

  • Failure to excuse an absence within 24 hours will result in the absence remaining unexcused.
  • Students and their families are responsible for verifying the accuracy of the attendance information maintained in PowerSchool. PowerSchool can be accessed using computers on campus, and parents can request printed copies of attendance reports through the attendance office. 
  • Students are not permitted, at any time, to call and excuse an absence themselves unless they are 18 years of age and living outside the home of the parents/guardians (i.e. are emancipated). 
  • Students are considered tardy (T) to class when they are not inside the classroom when the bell rings, and late (L) after 5 minutes, but within the first half of class.  Students with medical or professional documentation are considered late excused (K).  Tardy and late arrivals to class are excused only with medical or professional documentation and cannot be excused by a parent phone call. Excessive tardy or late arrivals may result in administrative consequences. Students who arrive late to campus should proceed directly to their class.
  • Arriving to a class after it has begun is disruptive and is only excused with official documentation of professional or medical appointments.  Parents can not excuse tardy or late arrivals.  Early departures from class are also discouraged and must be arranged with the Attendance Clerk prior to the start of the period.  A student will NOT be allowed to leave class without a pass from attendance.

ABSENCE TYPES Excused (D, H, V)

  • Up to 40 missed periods per year or 10 missed block periods per class may be excused by a parent or guardian.  After this limit has been reached, absences are excused only with professional or medical documentation.
  • Parent excuses or medical documentation must be received within 24 hours of the absence.
  • Parents shall immediately notify administration of individual extenuating circumstances affecting attendance, including the following:  continuing or recurring illnesses, serious family or personal problems, family bereavement or religious holidays.

SCHOOL RELATED ABSENCES

Other codes you may see in Powerschool are for the following: NMAA sanctioned activities (S), school suspensions (X, I), non-school sponsored activities registered with the Athletics & Activities Director (S), approved curriculum-related field trips (F),  school counselor & administrative pull-outs (G), and academic testing (4).   No student shall be absent from school for school-sponsored interscholastic extracurricular activities in excess of 15 per semester, and no class may be missed in excess of 15 times per semester.

UNEXCUSED (U)

Any absence not meeting the stated criteria for an excused absence above will be considered unexcused.  A student will be disenrolled after ten consecutive unexcused school days.  To maintain continuity in learning, students are encouraged to complete work missed during unexcused absences.  
Please note –Teachers are not required to accept work missed during unexcused absences unless otherwise notified by administration.  

MAKE-UP WORK

It is a student’s responsibility to notify a teacher of an upcoming absence if it will interfere with an assignment’s due date or request make-up assignments.  Teachers may need 24 hours from the time of the request to compile assignments.  Make-up work must be submitted within a  period of time equal to the number of school days absent, unless arrangements have been made with the teacher in advance.  Teachers will assign any make-up work that can be completed outside of class, but credit for class participation and lab activities cannot be guaranteed. Please contact your teacher to discuss NMAA Athletic/Activities advance notice absences. 

To maintain continuity in learning, students are encouraged to complete work missed during unexcused absences, if possible.   Teachers are not required to accept work missed during unexcused absences unless otherwise notified by administration.  Individual teachers may require students to complete assignments prior to a scheduled school-related absence or family trip.
 
WIN Time is available daily during the normal bell schedule (see bell schedules) and is a support that students can utilize to make up work. 

Extra credit is granted at the discretion of the teacher, and must be directly related to the curriculum. Extra credit can not exceed one percent of the total semester grade.

EXTENDED ABSENCE REQUESTS

Students planning a family trip, college visits, etc. lasting more than three days must obtain and complete an Extended Absence Request form, available here:  Extended Absence Request or from the Guidance Office.  Students must complete the form with their parents and return it to the office for administration approval. After receiving administrative approval, the student will then gather signatures from each teacher and return the form to the Guidance Office. This must be completed no fewer than 5 days prior to departure. Absences for travel are included in the 40 allowed excused periods per year. Additional absences over 40 will be considered unexcused. Planned absences during the last week of each semester must be pre-approved by the student’s principal. Travel that extends beyond 5 days will be considered unexcused. 

TRUANCY  INTERVENTIONS--per school year

3 periods unexcused--Truancy Letter of Concern sent to parents, student meets with administrator or counselor & receives consequences.
3 days unexcused (12 periods)--3-day Truancy letter sent to parents, student meets with administrator and receives additional consequences.
5 days unexcused (20 periods)--5-day Truancy letter sent to parents, student meets with administrator and receives additional consequences.  
7 days unexcused (28 periods)--7-day Truancy letter sent to parents.  Attendance Review Board Hearing is held.  Student receives additional consequences.
10 days unexcused (40 periods)--10-day Truancy letter sent to parents.  Student is referred to NM Children Youth and Family Department (CYFD) as habitual truant per NM law.  Student receives additional school consequences.
Additional unexcused absences may be reported to the district for an attendance hearing, and CYFD may be contacted to assist with continued truancy.  Student receives additional school consequences.

LEAVING CAMPUS WITHOUT PERMISSION

As stated in our Open Lunch section, no student should leave campus during a class or passing period without permission.  Parents who wish to excuse their student from any class should notify the school in advance, and must adhere to the attendance protocols listed in the attendance section.  

Each occurrence of leaving campus without permission will result in an unexcused absence, and will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including in-school suspension.  Additionally, any student who knowingly takes another student off campus without permission may be subject to disciplinary measures, as well.