Skip To Main Content

Attendance Procedures

Dear Fox Lane High School Community:

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we would like to emphasize the importance of student attendance at Fox Lane High School. At the beginning of the school year, during class assemblies, we will reinforce to students that success starts with being present in school. This includes being physically present in the school building, arriving to classes on time and ready to learn, engaging in learning opportunities, and maintaining open communication with teachers and the Attendance Office when students are unable to attend classes.

We ask for your partnership to ensure consistent attendance and communication with the FLHS Attendance Office when situations arise that will prevent students from attending some or all of the school day. For any attendance-related matters, parents/guardians are asked to contact the Attendance Office using either of the following methods:

Email: FLHSAttendance@bcsdny.org (emails in preferred languages are encouraged)
Phone: (914) 241-6059
 
Despite our best efforts, situations arise where students must miss time in school. While it is important to be familiar with the FLHS attendance procedures, it is our expectation that these procedures will have minimal impact on the vast majority of students.
 

Important Attendance Information:

  • Credit is earned for a complete unit of study.  Students must pass the class and not exceed 14 absences in a yearlong course or 7 in a semester course to earn credit. 

  • Should a student exceed 14 absences in a yearlong course, they may be subject to an attendance appeal process to determine if credit may be granted (7 in half year courses).

  • If a student is late to class, cuts class, or arrives late to school without permission, they may be subject to disciplinary measures.

  • Attendance letters are sent home monthly as students begin accumulating absences.  These letters are meant to be informative and complementary to StudentVUE/ParentVUE attendance information.

  • Robocalls (daily automated calls reflecting unexcused student absences for the day) will begin shortly.

  • Parents/Guardians should contact the Attendance office via email at FLHSattendance@bcsdny.org or by phone at 241-6059 to report their child’s absences from school for any reason.  Emails may be sent in languages other than English and will be processed.

To support students throughout their high school experience and encourage good decision-making, we will actively monitor student attendance on a daily basis. Each unexcused absence will be addressed. Initial offenses will be handled by the teacher, while chronic lateness or class-cutting will result in a referral to the dean.

Should a student’s accumulated absences exceed the maximum allowable number and we do not have an active attendance appeal letter or documentation on file, a meeting may occur which can include the student, the parent, the teacher, the school counselor, and an administrator to review the student’s attendance and determine if credit may be awarded for the course.

Please note:  If in the process of review, it is determined that the student has missed class due to ‘cutting’, they may not be eligible for an attendance appeal. During the review process, if it is determined that the attendance is accurate, and that no extenuating circumstances warrant an appeal, then a notation of “E” will be recorded on the student’s permanent record/transcript (“E” = excessive absences) and the student will not receive credit for the course. The student will be required to continue attending the class after receiving an “E”. If, at the end of the course, the student’s standing has improved, an attendance appeal may be revisited to reissue credit.

Please refer to the acceptable reasons and explanations for excused absences and school reassignments. This information is printed in the student handbook (linked below). (Reassigned absences do NOT count in the absence tally, however they are reported in the total count on student report cards.)

Resources: