Dear Parents/Guardians:
The Board of Education's policy on missing children established a procedure that attempts to account for all students each day of the school year. In cooperation with that procedure, parents/guardians are asked to call the attendance office at 973-347-1019 ext 2150, for the Lakes and Intermediate School, to report their child's absence. In addition to this call, a child who has been absent MUST present, to his homeroom teacher, a note signed by his/her parents/guardians explaining the absence. Remember that New Jersey statutes place the responsibility for regular attendance with the parents/guardians. Policy #5113 states: A pupil must be in attendance for 144 or more school days in order to be considered to have successfully completed the instructional program requirements of the grade/course to which he/she is assigned instructional program requirements of the grade/course to which he/she is assigned.
In the Byram Township Schools, each student is eligible to receive perfect attendance awards in June if he/she has been present for 180 days. Perfect attendance candidates are required to attend school for the full instructional day without absences, arriving tardy or early departures to qualify for the perfect attendance award.
Students who arrive late for school should be signed in by their parent/guardian in the main office. Students must receive a late pass for class from the attendance officer.
Occasionally, it may be necessary for a parent/guardian to ask for a child to be excused from school on a particular day after the child has reported to school. These occasions should be few in number and relate to only the most serious of reasons. From time to time, it may be necessary for a parent/guardian to transport a child home at the end of a school day. In an attempt to ensure the safety of students attending the Byram Township Schools, the following procedures have been established. A student who will be signed out of school during school hours must present a note from home signed by the parent/guardian stating the time and reason for leaving school before the end of the scheduled school day. Any parent/guardian signing out their child before the end of the school day or who is transporting their child home after the end of the school day must report to the school office and complete the Release of a Child From School form, giving reasons. No student will be allowed to leave school with anyone other than the authorized parent/guardian or adult who has been authorized by the parent/guardian in writing. An individual signing out a student will be requested to provide proper identification to satisfy school personnel that he/she is the person authorized to sign out the child. Failure to provide appropriate certification will result in a denial of the request to sign out the student.