The purpose of this message is to provide clarity and consistency around student attendance. Minnesota state statute requires secondary students to be in school for a minimum of 1,020 hours per year. This requirement was suspended in March of 2020 due to Covid. Now that the CDC has eliminated quarantine requirements for individuals exposed to Covid, the state statute has been reinstated. Therefore we are updating our expectations for attendance.
To the extent possible, we want students to be in school all day every day. We believe this is best for students and for the culture/climate of the school. However, there are exceptions: Students who are in PSEO (Post-Secondary Enrollment Options) or OJT (On the Job Training) may leave school during the periods these are assigned. These students must sign in/out at the high school main office.
Students who are enrolled in an online class have been assigned a study hall and are expected to report to this classroom where attendance will be taken. In addition, attendance will be taken for students assigned to study hall and are not enrolled in an online class. ***Seniors who have a study hall during 1st or 7th period and are in good academic standing may be excused by a parent (unless the student is 18). Students should sign in/out at the HS main office.
Finally, we are working to ensure that students are in class throughout the school day. When students have to leave class for any reason, they are required to have a pass. We are prioritizing student supervision and attendance as a safety and security measure. In addition, we know that students are learning when they are in class! Thank you for your partnership in this. Should you have any questions or concerns around our attendance policy, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.