ACV gets tough on truancy violations

By BRETT R. WHITLING
Clarion News writer

Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District seniors who miss 36 or more days in a school year may not be able to “walk” at graduation.

Like many schools, Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District has an issue with student unexcused absences.

During recent student school handbook changes approved at a recent school board meeting, A-C Valley High School Principal Bill Jordan laid out some of requirements and penalties for truancy.

If a student’s attendance drops below 80 percent, they are considered truant.

This all began after the state’s amendment for unexcused absences went into effect for the 2017-18 school year. School districts have spent a lot more time contacting parents, finding the student and sometimes having to spend time in court sorting out the issue legally of a student not being in school.

Since the truancy law went into effect, Jordan reported attendance has been problematic and has put a lot of burden upon school officials.

“We have to go through children and youth services and the guidelines make it difficult,” Jordan said. “The students don’t see the necessary reason why kids need to come to school. Last year, it affected us greatly.”

When a student is considered truant, an attendance improvement plan is automatically triggered.

“Seniors are by the toughest group to make sure they come at least 80 percent of the time,” said Jordan. “And for those that actually come 80 percent or more, there’s a pile of them in the 80 to 90 percent range who are tardy so that causes some issues.”

The state expects students to have an attendance rate of at least 90 percent but 80 percent is considered a critical level of attendance.

“Students dropping below 80 percent attendance creates a whole lot of issues such as grades dropping. We want to be able to respond to that appropriatel,” said Jordan.

Under the handbooks enforcement, dropped below 80 percent may lead to a student being unable to graduate with their peers.

Also, students considered truant are ineligible to take educational field trips.

Jordan said last year the high school had a student whose attendance was at 67 percent. When the school denied the student an educational field trip, the parent became very irate.

“I want to make sure students know as part of the student improvement plan that if you drop below 80 percent, then you’re telling me school is not a priority and we may keep you from walking at graduation,” Jordan said. “That will be made very clear to the student and their parents as they get closer to that time.”

It was also mentioned if a student ages 17 and older misses 10 consecutive days, they are disenrolled from school; the student would then have to re-enroll into the school to come back.

“We make every effort to contact the students and parents, but if we get no response, they are removed from the roles and considered a drop-out,” Jordan said. “We do everything we can to try to get those kids here including taking the van and the bus.”

If an excuse is not submitted by the parent within three days of the absence, the student will be assigned a lunch detention on that day.

If the student fails to submit the excuse on the fourth day, the absence will be illegal or unexcused and discipline will be assigned accordingly.

The first illegal or unexcused absence will be considered a warning.

The second absence will be one after-school detention and a referral to the student assistance program.

The third absence will be one day of in-school suspension and a student attendance improvement plan will be developed.

The fourth absence will be two days of in-school suspension and a citation will be submitted to the district magistrate.

The fifth absence is three days of in-school suspension and a citation to the district magistrate.

The sixths absence will be administrative involvement and a citation to the district magistrate.

Subsequent absences will be a meeting with administration and/or the school board and a citation to the district magistrate.

Contact the school for a list of exceptions for absence.

Other changes

Other student handbook changes include:

Skirts are now only acceptable when they are within fingertip length while standing.

Cyber students scheduled to attend A-C Valley on a daily basis will not receive Internet reimbursement if at least 50 percent of assignments are not completed and submitted at residence.

Like the elementary school, visitors between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. must register at the main office where they must produce state issued identification and be given instructions.

All visitor identification will be scanned and recorded for documentation. No visitor will be allowed access to students without proper clearance and approval.