NAMASTE ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Students are expected to be in class every day that school is in session (Monday – Thursday from 8:05am-3:15pm(K-8) and Friday from 8:05am-1:30pm). NCS believes that school attendance should be a high priority for its families.

Excused Absences

Absences due to illness, injury, family emergency, death in the family, observation of a religious holiday, or other situations beyond the control of the student as determined by the Principal.

"Valid cause" for absence shall be illness, including the mental or behavioral health of the student, observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate family, or family emergency and shall include such other situations beyond the control of the student, as determined by the board of education in each district, or such other circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent for the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of the student

A written note must be submitted for all excused absences within 48 hours of a student’s return to NCS:

The legal guardian must submit a note to the main office explaining the reason for the absence.
If a student is absent more than two consecutive days due to illness, the child must have a doctor’s note written on the doctor’s office letterhead.
All notes for medical appointments must come from the doctor on the doctor office’s letterhead. If a note is not submitted within the appropriate time frame, the absence will be considered unexcused.

Unexcused Absences

Students are not permitted to miss school for any other reason than those listed above. Family vacations should be planned during school breaks. Students are not permitted to miss school for a parent or guardian’s doctor appointment, oversleeping, car difficulties, or bad weather. The school will not excuse absences for any of these reasons.

If a student is out sick, the parent/guardian should call the school office between 7:30 am and 10:00 am that day. It is a parent/guardian’s responsibility to facilitate the student’s completion of missed work by communicating with the child’s teacher within 24 hours of returning to school in order to set up an acceptable time for picking up missed assignments.

Since missing class affects academic achievement, repeated absences may be reflected in the student’s learning and grades. If a student is repeatedly absent, the school leaders, teacher(s), student and parent or guardian will meet to address the issue. In accordance with state law, please note the following consequences for unexcused absences:

5 unexcused absences – A letter will be sent via regular mail that the parent/guardian may be subject to a hearing and possible penalties due to the student’s absences. A parent/guardian conference will also be scheduled.
10 unexcused absences – A letter will be sent via regular mail that the parent/guardian may be subject to a hearing and possible penalties due to the student’s absences. A parent/guardian conference will also be scheduled and a truancy intervention plan will be developed.
20 unexcused or excused absences – A student may be retained. Eighth-grade students who accumulate this high level of truancy might lose the privilege of walking with their class during the graduation ceremony.
All attendance-related actions are determined on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Principal.

Truancy letters will be mailed on an ongoing basis.

Parents will be offered support and advice for avoiding truancy, in collaboration with the school social worker.

Arrival

It is important for students to be on time for school every day. Late arrivals disrupt the student’s routine as well as the class and the teacher. Students are welcome to arrive for breakfast at 7:45 am. Official class time begins at 8:05am with “Morning Announcements.”

Kindergarten through fourth grade students will enter the building through the lobby. Middle School students will enter through the front door. After 8:05 am, the doors will be locked and students must proceed through the lobby entrance to receive a tardy pass. If a student has a scheduled doctor’s appointment which causes him/her to be late for school, he/she must bring a note from the doctor on letterhead to have the tardy excused.

There is no parking allowed at any time in the back-parking lot. If a parent needs to enter the building, street parking is available on nearby streets and parking is available anytime in the Chicago Indoor Sports parking lot located at 3900 S. Ashland (Paulina & Pershing). Namaste is not responsible for cars parked in its lot, on the street, or the Chicago Indoor Sports parking lot.

Late (Tardy) Arrivals

A student is considered tardy if they arrive at school after 8:05 am. All late students must be dropped off at the lobby in order to obtain a tardy slip before going to their class. When a student is tardy, they have missed instructional time, and consequently, will not be considered to have had perfect attendance for the school year. If the student is late to school, it is the responsibility of the parent and student to obtain a tardy pass to prevent any errors or the possibility of the student being marked absent.

If a student has a scheduled doctor’s appointment that causes him/her to be late for school, he/she must bring a note from the doctor on letterhead to have the tardy excused.

Student Dismissal Guide

Only Parents/guardians with a pick-up card will be able to pick up an elementary school student. If a family does not have a pick-up card, regardless of whether the dismissing staff member knows the family, the person picking up the child must go to the lobby and show proper identification in order to receive a temporary authorization pass.

Only Parents/guardians or persons named on the family contact card may pick up a student. If a student is not picked up ten minutes past their dismissal time, the student will be taken to the office to wait for pick-up. If a student has not been picked up by 3:30 pm, Monday through Thursday, or by 2 pm on Fridays, a phone call will be made home. If family contact is not made, the police will be called to provide a safe space for the child.

Parents/guardians need to inform the school in writing if their child is to be dismissed with an individual who is not named on the contact card.

Families who wish for students to be dismissed together must submit a Multiple Student Pick Up form in the office. This form is available in the Main Office. Changes or additions to the Multiple Student Pick Up form can only be made the first week of each trimester, and changes will take effect on the designated date noted on the form.

Students in grades 5-8 will be released at 3:15 pm through the double glass doors in the lobby and will be allowed to leave without an adult. Once the student leaves the school’s building, Namaste is no longer responsible for the student.

Early Dismissal

Only early dismissals for the following will be excused: (1) illness, (2) death in the family, (3) recognized religious holiday, doctor’s appointment, (5) or family emergency. A written note or a note from the doctors should be provided to the school within 48 hours after the students return to NCS detailing the reason for the early dismissal. In the event that a student is ill at school, the student’s parent/guardian will be called to pick up the student and this will be counted as excused. Students will not be dismissed early after 2:30 PM (except in an emergency) due to safety issues and the interruption of instructional classes. The instructional time at the end of the day is an extremely valuable time to reflect on the day’s learning and to prepare homework assignments and materials. Whenever a student is dismissed early, the entire class is interrupted. Parents must send a note or email to the teacher and School Clerk by 10:00 AM the morning of the request and notify the front office 773-715-9558 (unless an emergency situation) for early dismissal with the following information.

Student's name and teacher’s name
Date and time child needs to be dismissed
Reason for early dismissal

The parent/guardian must sign the student out in the main office or lobby with the time of the dismissal and reason for early dismissal. Students will not be called down to the office until a family member is present at the school to request their early dismissal. Early dismissals should be occasional. Frequent early dismissals can negatively impact student learning and achievement. Please note: Students will only be dismissed to individuals listed in the “Emergency Contact '' form that should have been filled out at the beginning of the school year. It is the parent/guardian's responsibility to update their Emergency Contact list with the school whenever there is a change with the individuals permitted to pick up their student(s). In the absence of a note or a phone call from parents or guardians, the school will not release any student to anyone other than anyone listed in the emergency contact list until verification has been confirmed. We will ask for identification from all individuals requesting a student’s release.