BCSD ATTENDANCE POLICY
Our school district's attendance policy exists to improve student attendance and support a successful learning environment.
Attendance Matters
Good attendance, along with good instruction, enables a student to:
- Learn subject matter and earn good grades,
- Develop responsible work and study habits, and
- Prepare for the world of work.
Satisfactory Attendance:
Students who are absent less than 5% of the school year (9-10 absences in total for the year).
Attendance Concerns:
Students who are absent more than 5% of the school year (more than 9 absences).
Chronic Absences:
Students who are absent more than 10% of the school year (more than 18 absences in a year, 8% or 14 absences for high school).
Emergency Attendance Situation:
When a student is absent more than 20% of the school year (20 absences in high school, as there is a risk of failure and 27 absences or more in all other school buildings).
Students who are absent more than 10% of the school year are at serious risk of lower reading and math levels as well as dropping out of school.
Under New York State Education Law, parents and guardians are responsible for the regular attendance of their children.
Students who are absent more than 10% of the school year are at serious risk of lower reading and math levels as well as dropping out of school.
Our district cares about all of our students. We are promoting school attendance in order to decrease dropout rates and keep more students through to graduation. All students should be able to earn the right to walk across the stage in June. So, we encourage everyone to spread the word that attendance matters!
Why this attendance policy?
Regular school attendance is essential for academic success and social-emotional well-being—from kindergarten through high school. While some absences are unavoidable, missing too much school—regardless of the reason—can cause students to fall behind and become chronically absent.
Chronic absenteeism is defined by the New York State Education Department as missing 10% or more of the school year (approximately 18 days). Students who are chronically absent are at significantly greater risk for academic struggles and not graduating on time.
Research SHows:
- Children chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by 3rd grade.
- By 6th grade, chronic absence is a strong warning sign for students at risk of dropping out.
- By 9th grade, attendance predicts graduation better than 8th grade test scores.
To support families, the district sends attendance notices at 5, 10, and 15 absences to ensure early intervention and collaboration. Let’s work together—because every day counts!
Policy Requirements
Parents/Guardians must provide written notes within 2 school days of return or absences will be classified as unexcused.
Up to 5 parent notes will be accepted.
Acceptable notes include:
- ParentSquare Responses to absence notification
- Physical Notes turned in to the Main Office
- Emailed notes to the Attendance Office
Up to 9 absences, with parent (5) and physician (beyond 5) notes will be accepted, then a HIPPA Release will be requested to contact physician (if concerns are medical in nature), in order to support chronic medical concerns.
Course Credit and Attendance Expectations
Students who accumulate more than 25 unexcused absences in a full-year course or more than 12 unexcused absences in a semester course will receive a grade of 0 for any work, assessments, or participation recorded on the day(s) of absence.
Recognizing that students may occasionally face challenges that impact attendance, the policy also provides opportunities to recover lost seat time. Students may recover seat time within one week of the absence by participating and earning credit through approved programs such as:
- Homework Club
- Winter School
- Regents Review Sessions
- THRIVE
- The Learning Center
- Other school-approved programs
To successfully recover seat time, students are responsible for contacting their teachers to obtain and complete missed assignments. Additionally, students must be present for the entire school day and may not have an unexcused tardy, absence, or early dismissal on the day the seat time is made up.
Supporting Student Success
Our goal is to help every student earn credit and stay on track for graduation. The seat-time recovery opportunities built into this policy are intended to provide students with meaningful pathways to address absences, reconnect with learning, and demonstrate their commitment to academic success.
Students who exceed 25 unexcused absences in a full-year course or 12 unexcused absences in a semester course and do not recover the required seat time and missed coursework will not earn course credit. In accordance with NYSED requirements, students must complete a minimum of 108 hours of seat time for full-year courses and 54 hours for semester courses. Students who do not meet these requirements may earn credit in a subsequent year through credit recovery or by repeating the course.
We appreciate the partnership of our families in helping students establish strong attendance habits. Together, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to fully engage in their education, achieve their goals, and make the most of their high school experience.
Contact Attendance Administrators:
Beekmantown Elementary School:
Mrs. Melissa Barcomb, Principal
Ms. Janis Krug Associate Principal
518.563.8035
Cumberland Head Elementary School:
Ms. Darcy Stoutenger, Principal
Mrs. Darby Dupree, Associate Principal
518.563.8321
Beekmantown Middle School:
Mrs. Duffy Nelson, Principal
Mrs. Jen Jensen, Associate Principal
518.563.8690
Beekmantown High School:
Mr. Matt Bezio, Principal
Mr. Marcello Reale, Associate Principal
518.563.8787