Families

To Report Attendance
ohsoffice@onalaskaschools.com
608-783-4561

Attendance Secretary
Kimberly Weber
608.783.4561 ext. 5001

School District Attendance Policy
 

ATTENDANCE 101

The Basics So All Children Can Be Successful
Wisconsin public schools abide by the same attendance laws (118.15). We know that attending school regularly is directly linked to academic and job success. In the event of an absence, the following is a breakdown of the three major categories and the codes we use in PowerSchool to distinguish them:

PARENT EXCUSED—this is when a parent/guardian calls or writes a note to excuse a student from school. Parents are permitted 10 parent choice days per school year. We determine the 10 days by counting the hours missed (i.e. Missing periods 1 and 2 does not count as an entire day). If a parent is getting close to using all 10 parent-excuse days, we will send a warning letter. Once all 10 parent days are exhausted, absences will be unexcused. Below is a list of the most common attendance codes when a parent excuses his/her child from class:

                ILL=a parent feels his/her child is too ill to attend or stay in school
                APT=student went to a medical appointment, including dentist/orthodontist appointments.
                PER=for personal reasons a student is not in attendance (e.g. running late, out of town, visiting someone in the hospital)
                VAC=vacation
                FNL=a parent excuses his/her child for a funeral
                COL=college visit (juniors and seniors are granted one college visit per year that the schools excuses and does not count toward parent-excuse time)

MEDICAL—this is when a student has visited a medical provider. Once written documentation of the visit is provided, the PER code is changed to one of the following and does not apply toward the 10 parent-choice days:

                MED=student is ill and a physician indicates the day or range of days that he/she should stay home
                MED=student went to an appointment and medical documentation was provided to the main office with the day and time of the appointment
                HOF/HEA=student went to our school health office and the nurse/health aide has determined that the student needs to lie down in the health office or go home (you will receive a call from the health office if your child is too ill to stay at school)

UNEXCUSED—this is when a student has been absent and the period(s)/day(s) have not been excused in any way. If this occurs, you will receive an automated call the day of the unverified absence.

                UNV=unverified (unverified absences will change to either a parent or medical excused code or TRU if the absence cannot be cleared)
                TRU=truant; absences that cannot be excused in any way because of skipping or no parent-excused days remain

“A student is considered truant if he/she is absent without an acceptable excuse for all or part of one or more days during which school is held. A student qualifies to be habitually truant when he/she is absent without an acceptable excuse for all or part of five or more days in a school semester” (Wisconsin State Statute 118.16). If students exceed the number of truant absences allowed by the state, truancy tickets will be referred to school resource officer.

NOTE: Open Enrollment may be denied due to habitual unexcused/truant absences and/or tardiness.

We want to work together to ensure accurate and consistent school attendance, and we will communicate with you and your child when attendance—excused or unexcused—is concerning. You also have daily access to attendance through PowerSchool. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Charlie Ihle, OHS Associate Principal, at 608.783.4561 x5003.

Extended Learning Schedule -Wednesday/Thursday

Engage Schedule -Wednesday/Thursday (Twice a Month)

Speak Up Speak Out App, an anonymous reporting tool that students can use to report incidents of cyberbullying, violence, drugs or weapons possession or other areas of school safety that a student might be concerned about. This certainly doesn't replace the traditional approach of a student sharing these types of concerns with a trusted adult at home or school; however, it does provide another option. 

Students should be aware that if a report is made outside of school hours, there will not be an immediate response at that time (e.g. this is not a 911 response).  School personnel will follow up with students and investigate during the next school days.  Likewise, immediate concerns during the school day should be reported directly to a school administrator or counselor to ensure the fastest response.  The App simply provides another venue for students to have voice.

Speak Up Speak Out Wisconsin Form