What exactly does the law require? Two sections of the code are
discussed below. Read the words carefully. DaySpring Policies
and Procedures related to the code follow.
Section 16-28-8
Reports required must be furnished.
All school officers, including those in private schools,
or private tutors, but not those in church schools, in
this state offering instruction to pupils within the
compulsory attendance ages, shall make and furnish all
reports that may be required by the State Superintendent
of Education and by the county superintendent of
education or by the board of education of any city with
reference to the workings of this article. The
principal teacher of each public school, private
school, church school and each private tutor shall
keep an attendance register showing the enrollment of
the school and every absence of each enrolled child from
school for a half day or more during each school day of
the year.
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Strict construction:
"Principal teacher" is not
defined by law. A court could not well define this term using the
standard of common usage, since public schools do not usually have anyone
designated as "the" principal teacher. Practically, schools
that comply have some system in place, the details of which may vary, that
results in data gathered to produce one report of the enrollment of the
school, to include detailed reporting of every absence of each child for a
half day or more during the school days. One likely scenario is that
"the" "principal teacher" of a church school would be
interpreted in a court of law to mean someone who could produce a report of
the entire enrollment of "the school", i.e. the Administrator of
the school.
"Attendance register" -- is defined as showing 1) the enrollment
of the school and 2) every absence of each enrolled child from school for a
half day or more during each school day of the year.
Consider:
Church schools are not required to follow
the public school calendar, and there is no law defining this term for
church schools. What constitutes "school day", then, is a
matter left to the discretion of the church school.
Summary: Where is the
requirement of law that parents keep or submit an attendance
report/register? This is a requirement that the school keep a register
that shows 1) the enrollment of the school and 2) absences for a half day or
more from a "school day" as defined by the school. If you,
the parent, feel that you are required to do so, then you should follow that
requirement in any way you wish. But DaySpring's requirements under
law can be satisfied without "attendance reports" from parents,
and in keeping with our philosophy that parents have both the right and the
responsibility in the education of their children, DaySpring does not
require an attendance report submitted to the school by parents.
Absences of half day or more can be reported on the Absentee Form.
Section 16-28-15
Absence must be explained.
Every parent, guardian, or other person having
control or charge of any child required to attend
public school, private school, or church school,
shall as soon as practical explain the cause of any
absence of the child under his control or charge which
was without permission of the teacher, and a failure
to furnish such explanation shall be admissible as
evidence of such child being a truant with the consent
and connivance of the person in control or charge of
said child, unless such person can show to the
reasonable satisfaction of the court that he had no
knowledge of such absence and that he has been diligent
in his efforts to secure the attendance of such child.
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Summary:
Explaining the reason/cause of any absence without permission of the teacher
is required of parents (etc) of children in church schools. DaySpring,
therefore, has produced the Absentee Form for your use in
reporting/explaining absences without permission.
DAYSPRING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN
REGARD TO ATTENDANCE:
1. The DaySpring School Year is 365 days. The definition of
education extends far beyond the limitations placed upon the word in
government-run, taxpayer funded schools. Our policies will not
be defined by the lowest common demoninator.
EDUCA'TION
n. [L. educatio.] The bringing up, as of a child, instruction;
formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of
instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the
understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits
of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To
give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is
important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and
an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect
these duties.
(Source: 1828
Webster's dictionary )
Latin educatio:
bringing up, training, education.
Relevant excerpts from Hyperdictionary
entry:
education
activities that impart knowledge of skill; the result of good
upbringing; the gradual process of acquiring knowledge; the
knowledge acquired by learning and instruction.
Synonyms: breeding, activity, training.
See Also: acquisition, activity, assimilation, cognitive
content, enlightenment, erudition, experience, foundation,
grounding, instruction, learnedness, learning, lesson, mastering,
preparation, self-cultivation, teaching, upbringing.
2. Every day is a school day of 24 hours length. On each school
day, some combination of the activities of bringing up, moral or
academic instruction, value grounding, and/or the process of enlightenment,
learning, knowledge acquisition should occur. Rest is a necessary
component of all educational processes/activities. Every absence of a
half day or more on any of the 365 school days should be reported to
DaySpring on the Absentee Form.
3. These policies are
formed based on the DaySpring philosophy and definition of education.
Should you need a transcript for the purpose of transferring to another school,
DaySpring will require that you provide days of attendance for each year of that
transcript. You should keep in mind this possibility and be able to
provide the days of "academic activitiy" attendance as commonly
expected and reported to schools which limit their definitions to the
commonly-accepted "public school" definitions of education, school
year, etc.
DaySpring Academy
proudly announces
the development of an outstandingly wonderful new document
to facilitate compliance with the law.
Presenting .... (drum roll
please) ...
Questions?
See ... In 25 Words or Less
This Page Revised
05/13/2006 04:37 PM
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