Attendance Policy

It is the responsibility of the student to attend school every day. NC Law requires that children between the ages of 7 and 16 years must attend school. Thomas Academy will diligently adhere to the North Carolina Compulsory School Attendance Law, including N.C.G.S. 115C-378. The Director or designee may excuse a student’s absence for the following reasons if adequate evidence is provided:

• Illness or injury: When absence results from illness or injury which prevents the student from being physically able to attend school
• Quarantine: When isolation of the student is ordered by the local health official or the State Board of Health
• Death in the immediate family: The immediate family includes, but is not limited to, parent, grandparent, or sibling
• Medical or Dental appointment
• Court or administrative proceedings
• Religious observance: When the student, or the student’s parent/guardian, adheres to a religion in which the tenets require or suggest the observance of a religious event, the parents must seek prior approval from the Director for such absence. The approval of such absence is within the discretion of the Director. Approval should be granted unless the religious observance or cumulative effect of religious observances is of such duration as to interfere with the education of the student
• Educational Opportunity: When the student misses school due to a valid educational opportunity and obtains the Director’s prior approval
• The written request must be received by the Director at least one week prior to absence
• The student must be in good academic standing
• Absence related to deployment activities: A student whose parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting for the purpose of visiting said parent or legal guardian

ABSENCE POLICY

Students who miss more than eight (8) days per semester will be responsible for making arrangements with the school administration to make up all days beyond the allowable 8 days.

Failure to make up missed days may result in credit for attempted work to be denied.

A student must be in school a minimum 3.5 hours to be considered present for the day.

NOTIFICATION AND EXCUSE NOTES

When a student is going to miss all or part of the school day, the parent/RC is required to contact the Academy office as soon as possible and not later than 9:00 am on the date of the absence. In addition, a written and signed (by parent/RC) note of explanation is required upon the student’s return and should be given to the Office Manager within 3 days following the student’s return.