Students enrolled at Boquet Valley Central School are required to attend for the entire time classes are in session and shall be respectful and orderly while in attendance. Each minor from ages six to sixteen is required to be enrolled in school. Students reaching the age of 16 during the school year must, by law Section §3205 – Title IV, Article 65, complete that school year.

Attendance is important and it is each student’s basic responsibility as a member of the school community. Regular attendance is directly related to academic and career success.

When a student is ill or otherwise absent, parents/guardians are asked to phone the school’s Attendance Officer and provide a written note on the day the student returns.

Lake View Campus 962-8244

Mountain View Campus 873-6371 ext 506

If a student is unable to attend classes due to illness or going home ill, then they are ineligible to participate in any extra-curricular activities for the rest of the day or evening.

A. Excused Absences

• Personal/Family Illness * Parents notes will be accepted for up to a total of 5 absences only per school year. Beyond 5 days, in the discretion of the Superintendent or the Building Principal, a physician’s note is required to substantiate as an excused absence.
• Death in family
• Doctor, dentist, or other health-related appointments
• Required court appearance
• Religious observation
• College Visitation (a letter from the College is required)
• Unsafe travel/impassible roads
• Quarantine
• As approved by the District

B. Unexcused Absences

• Unexcused Absence: when a student is absent with the knowledge or consent, stated or implied, of the parent/guardian, for other than excused reasons.
• Unlawful Detention: this occurs when a student is absent with the knowledge or consent, stated or implied, of the parent or guardian, for other than excused reasons. Such absences as the following come under this heading: “visiting,, “vacation”, “shopping”, “babysitting”, “work”, “overslept”, etc.
• Truancy: when a student, whose parent/guardian expects him or her to be in school, does not attend for other than excused reasons.
• Absences due to family vacation: While some family vacations may be educational in nature, extended absence for this reason may create an academic burden for the student and should be minimized. We do, however, realize family schedules cannot always be matched with the school calendar. Advanced notice of the absence and collection of work will be missed is imperative. It is important to keep the district’s attendance policy in mind when making such decisions.

Unexcused absences should be avoided. Unexcused absence and truancy are violations of law under the New York State Family Court Act. Such absences may carry a disciplinary consequence by the school. Under New York State Education Law, parents are responsible for the regular attendance of their children. Failure to comply with this may result in referrals to outside agencies in order to improve attendance concerns.

*Parents need to be mindful that a note from them can only excuse their child for up to a total of 5 absences. Beyond 5 days, in the discretion of the administration, a physician’s note is required to substantiate as an excused absence. Otherwise the absences will be considered illegal and unexcused.

C. Excuses

A written excuse, signed by the parent/guardian, which describes the reason for an absence, must accompany the student on his/her return to school. Such excuses are required for each individual absence and tardy. Absences not verified by a written excuse may be investigated. All unverified excuses will be recorded as unexcused on a student’s permanent attendance record.

Students not submitting proper excuse notes will be admitted to classes for up to three (3) days. On the fourth day, the student will be referred to administration for possible disciplinary action.

Students attending CV-TEC programming:

• If a note for all day attendance is filed and signed by administration, the student must have a copy made of the form and that form must be handed to the Attendance Officer immediately afterwards.
• If a CV-TEC student has followed the proper procedure to drive themselves to the CV-TEC campus and the form has been signed by administration, the student must have a copy made and brought directly to the Attendance Officer.