Absences may adversely affect a student’s ability to make educational progress, receive credit for coursework, or participate in sports. Typically, successful students often maintain an attendance rate of 95% or more. Students whose attendance falls below 90% are often at risk.  Excessive absences may result in lowered grades and/or loss of credit and ultimately affect on-time graduation. The school is anxious to help if there are social, academic, or health issues that are affecting attendance.

Under Oregon State Law parents are responsible for maintaining their child’s regular school attendance. Oregon Revised Statute 339.020 states: “…every person having control of any child between the ages of 6 and 18 years who have not completed the 12th grade are required to send such child to and maintain such child in regular attendance at a public full-time school during the entire school term.”

When students are absent, parents or guardians are asked to call the Attendance line at 541-790-4740.  Requests to excuse absences must be received within 48 hours of return to school. Under Oregon State Law, schools are responsible for taking attendance daily and for notifying parents or guardians of the student’s absences. Parents or guardians will be notified by automated phone call or email in the event of an absence or late arrival. Attendance records are accessible to parents and guardians through ParentVUE.  If you believe there is an error in attendance, please contact the attendance office.

Verification of absence: An excused absence must be verified by the parent or school authority responsible for the absence. Families have 48 hours, or two school days, after the student’s return to request that an absence is excused.

The following are typically accepted reasons for absences:

• Student illness, health condition, or medical appointment including but not limited to medical, counseling, dental, or optometry. Administrators may ask for documentation from a medical provider regarding an appointment, illness, or health condition.
• Family emergency, including but not limited to a death or illness in the family
• Court proceeding

Absence is defined as missing a class altogether and is classified as excused or unexcused.

Excused Absence: Oregon Revised Statute 339.065 states: “An absence may be excused … If the absence is caused by the pupil’s sickness, by the sickness of some member of the pupil’s family or by an emergency. A principal may also excuse absences for other reasons where satisfactory arrangements are made in advance.”

Unexcused Absence: Any absence from school is unexcused unless it meets one of the criteria for an excused absence and is subsequently deemed excused by the school.

Early Departure: Early Departure (ED) is used if the student is present at the beginning of class, leaves during class, and does not return.

Late and Very Late: Students who arrive within the first 10 minutes of class are recorded as late.  Students who arrive more than 10 minutes are marked Very Late. A late arrival to class will only be excused if the reason is considered acceptable for excused absences (i.e., Illness, doctor’s appointment, emergency). Late arrival due to traffic, over-sleeping, carpool trouble or other personal reasons typically will not be excused.

Suspension – Suspensions are not counted as unexcused absences.

Prearranged Absences: Absences for a religious or cultural purpose including observance of a religious or cultural holiday or participation in religious or cultural instruction; and post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation or scholarship interview may be excused if a prearranged absence form has been submitted and approved. Vacations are not customarily considered as excused absences. Click here for the prearranged absences form.

School-sponsored activities: Students are excused to participate in athletic events, classroom/club field trips, performing arts festivals and performances. If students have chronic absences, tardies, and/or have failing grades, the student may not be able to participate in the school-sponsored activity.  This decision will be determined by the administration.

Truancy

Oregon Revised Statute 339.065 states “Eight unexcused one-half day absences, or four full-day absences in any four week period during which school is in session shall be considered irregular attendance. A student may be excused from attendance by the school board for a period not to exceed five days in a term of three months, or not to exceed 10 days in any term of at least six months. Any such excuse is to be in writing, directed to the school principal. In such cases, an administrator will meet with parents. Severe cases may be referred to the county truancy officer.”

Information on Oregon state law regarding school attendance is available at the Oregon Department of Education website.