Harris Middle School Attendance Policy

 

 

First bell for school rings at 8:10am.  Students who arrive after 8:20am will be counted tardy for school.   The end of the school day is 3:25pm.  Please keep these times in mind when scheduling appointments.  All notes should be delivered, faxed, or e-mailed to Mr. Harper using the contact information below.


The District will accept up to eight (8) days of absences from school, per school year, as excused with a parent's note. The note must indicate one of the 3 reasons listed below with the double asterisk for the absence to be excused. Absences beyond the eight (8) days allowed will be coded as unexcused if a parent's note is the only documentation provided. In situations where the parent believes the child is ill, but the number of absences has exceeded the eight (8) days, the parent may take the child to a doctor for an excused absence or bring the child to the school clinic so that the campus nurse can evaluate the child's current health status. Should the school nurse determine that the child should not be at school, the child will not stay at school and the absence will be recorded as excused.


Excused Absence - (Notes must be turned in within 48 hours of absence.)

 

  • A doctor or dentist's signed note verifying appointment (was not in school entire day - V) *
  • Autism therapy sessions (V)*
  • Student's required court appearance (C)*
  • Observation of religious holy days (J)*
  • Pursuing citizenship (C)*
  • College or university visit (2 per junior and senior year) (K)*
  • Deaths outside of immediate family **
  • Natural disasters, weather or road conditions, as declared by the District
  • Personal or family illness with parent/guardian note limited to eight (8) days per school year **
  • Emergencies recognized and approved by the principal **
  • Attending an authorized school function

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    * Absence is recognized by the Texas Education Agency with a special code which denotes the student is being counted as present for ADA purposes.
    ** Absences of this nature are included in the maximum of eight (8) days excused by parent/guardian note.

     

     

    Unexcused Absence

     

  • Truancy
  • Any absence for a reason not listed on the Excused Absence Reasons list
  • Examples:
  • Vacations
  • Pleasure trips
  • Missing the bus
  • Car problems
  • Overslept
  • Babysitting
  • Birthday or other personal celebrations
  • Jobs
  • Rare special circumstances not approved by the principal in advance
  • Pop Warner (athletic programs not associated with the District)
  • Cheerleading/dance programs, club sports programs
  • Non-school affiliated fine arts production

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    Extenuating Absence ***

     

  • Serious or long-term personal or family illness documented by a doctor
  • Death in the immediate family
  • Military combat (active military parent deployed or returning from deployment)
  • Hospitalized
  • 4-H Club
  • Sport related competitions for off-campus PE credit
  • Shadowing magnet programs (out of District i.e. Health Careers HS)
  • Olympic Tryouts
  • Visit by religious leaders (Pope) or a major religious event not a holy day

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    *** Absences are considered excused by the District and do not count toward loss or credit

     

     

    Harris Middle School enforces that no student will be called or signed out after 3:15.

     

     

    NEISD Saturday School Sign-Up Link

     

    Harris Middle School Attendance Clerk:

    Timothy Harper
    Phone: 210-356-4101
    FAX: 210-657-8892
    tharpe@neisd.net