Attendance 85% or better
Students are required to attend school every day unless illness or a valid reason prevents attendance. All absences are recorded and are noted on report cards. Every day counts! The research indicates students who have good attendance get better results. At Home Hill SHS, the target attendance rate is 95%. Students who fall below 85% attendance become ineligible for extra-curricular events (unless very special circumstances exist).
Explaining Absenteeism
Text messaging to parents allows the school to notify parents of any unexplained absence in the morning of it occurring. After teachers mark class rolls prior to 9am, any unexpected absences are recorded and a text message will be sent to parents. This will be followed up until a response is received from parents. This can be done by ringing the administration staff advising of the reason for the absence. All absences must be explained. Education Act procedures require that extended absences of more than 3 days to be actively followed up by school administration.
Alternatively, absentees can be explained in advance by:
- Phoning 47 905 666 and talking to office staff or leaving a message on the answering machine if a student becomes ill out of school hours
- Advising administration staff of a student's absence in person
- Sending a note advising of absence on the previous day
Illness at School
If a child is ill during school hours, office staff will contact a parent or nominated emergency contact to arrange for the student to leave the school. Students must not phone or text their parent/carer.