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Excused/Unexcused Absences

Excused/Unexcused Absences

Excused Absences 
Absences will be treated as excused if they occur for any of the following reasons (additional documentation, such as
medical documentation, may be required by the principal or designee):

  1. Student illness that would endanger the student’s health or the health of others.
  2. Serious illness or death in the student’s immediate family which would reasonably necessitate absence from
    school, in the determination of the principal or his/her designee.
  3. A scheduled medical, dental, or eye examination.
  4. Special and recognized religious holidays observed by the student’s faith. See Policy JBFA: Religious Holidays
  5. An order of a governmental agency, such as a court order or a pre-induction physical exam for military service.
  6. An inability to attend school due to weather or other conditions making school attendance impossible or
    unreasonably hazardous.
  7. Attendance upon a trip or event having significant educational value, provided the principal is notified of the
    absence in advance and he/she determines the trip or event has significant educational value.
  8. Unusual or urgent circumstances requiring the student’s parents to be outside of Henry County overnight, and
    where the parents determine that it would be in the student’s best interest to accompany them. If prior notice
    cannot be given, a written explanation is to be provided no later than the first day the student returns to school
    after the absence.
  9. Take Your Child to Work Day. Students who participate in this event will be excused, but will be counted absent.
  10. To visit with a parent serving in the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard. If such parent has
    been called to duty or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, a
    student shall be granted excused absences, up to five (5) school days per school year, for the purpose of visiting
    with his/her parent.

A student who serves as a Page of the General Assembly during the school year shall be counted present at school in the
same manner as an educational field trip.
Jessie’s Law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-692.2) states a foster care student (served by DFCS) who attends court proceedings relating
to the student’s foster care shall be credited as present by the school and shall not be counted as an absence, either
excused or unexcused, for any day, portion of a day, or days missed from school. 

Unexcused Absences
An absence that does not qualify as excused is an unexcused absence. Parents are encouraged to carefully and frequently
monitor student attendance through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and contact the school immediately with any
questions about the attendance record. Unexcused absences will be subject to attendance investigation and can result in
penalty as imposed by the Georgia’s compulsory attendance law. Excessive absences may jeopardize a student’s ability to
earn course credits for the semester or year and/or enrollment status in Henry County School District in specific circumstances. In
addition, withdrawal from school before graduating may jeopardize a student’s eligibility to obtain or keep a driver’s permit
orlicense.