Attendance

Attendance Policy and Absence Impact:

Students are allowed up to 16 days of absences, excused or unexcused, for the entire school year. If a student misses 8 or more school days during the first semester, they will not be allowed to attend Hollyball, participate in internships, engage in job shadowing, or leave school to attend BCC classes virtually or on campus during school hours. Any absences beyond 16 days will result in attendance at summer school. Students who miss more than 16 days will not attend prom, be considered for valedictorian, salutatorian, Top 10%, job shadowing, or internships, or leave school to attend BCC classes virtually or on campus during school hours the following Fall. 

* Summer School for chronic absenteeism will begin in 2026-2027

**Valedictorian, salutatorian, or Top 10% attendance requirements will be assessed from the students' 7 semesters of high school. (Beginning with the Class of 2029)

***A review committee, consisting of the Principal, Assistant Principal, and Counselor, will be established to review attendance exceeding 16 days and determine whether absences will be forgiven. Extenuating circumstances happen; cases will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

Attendance Incentives:

Students who miss fewer than 6 days will be exempt from midterms at the end of the 1st semester, and students who miss fewer than 14 days will be exempt from finals at the end of the school year. Students will not be exempt from concurrent course midterms or finals. Students will not be exempt from midterms and finals if they are failing a class. 

Report an Absence:

In case of an absence from school, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to input the absence into SchoolMessenger/SafeArrival App or telephone the high school office (620) 793-1521 by 8:05 a.m. on the same day of the absence. It is encouraged to report absences in advance. This will verify and explain the absence. If a student or parent knows of extenuating circumstances, please contact the office, and arrangements can be made with the student's teachers in advance. If there is no communication, the student will be considered unexcused. GBHS does not have open lunch, so if a parent or guardian calls out a student, it will be excused, but the absence will count toward days missed (Chronic Absenteeism). Tardies and hours missed accumulate towards absences for the year.

Communication to Families:

Absences are tracked in Skyward and can be viewed by a parent at any time.

When there is an unexplained absence, parents/guardians will recieve a call/text/email from SchoolMessenger to verify the students absence and request an explaination from the parent/guardian.

Parents/guardians will be notified by mail with an initial letter when a child has 3-4 absences. 

When a student reaches 10 days of absences, the principal, counselor, student, and parent/guardian will meet, and the student will be placed on a doctor’s note only. (The office must receive a doctor’s note for any further absences, or the absence will be unexcused. 

The following constitute excused absences:

Remember, both excused and unexcused absences count toward the allowed 16 absences. 

• Illness (Written documentation from a doctor is required for three (3) consecutive days absent.. 
• Funeral 
• Medical, eye, and dental appointments (doctor's note upon return to school required) 
• Obligatory religious observances 
• Absences prearranged and approved by the principal 
• Other reasons, which in the principal's judgment are reasonable and necessary

Shool-Related Activity (SRA) 

A school-related activity is an activity that is not sponsored by the school but provides an 

educational benefit to the student, whether that be academically or socially. School-related activity expectations must be met before it is approved. (State Fair, livestock judging, 4-H, college visits, etc.) Absences for School-Sponsored Activities and School-Related Activities (SRA) WILL NOT count toward the 16 days when the student is under the direct supervision of a school staff member.

Before the School-Related Activity (SRA) is approved, the following must happen: 

• The parent must request or call the school to have the activity approved. 

• The student must meet with the principal 48 hours before getting the activity approved. 

• Schoolwork must be completed and turned in the day before the student leaves for the school-related activity. 

Truancy:

The unexcused absence policy remains in effect for truancy. In compliance with Kansas statutes KSA 72-3120 and KSA 72-3121, students who accumulate THREE consecutive unverified absences, FIVE unverified absences in a semester, and SEVEN unverified absences in a school year must be reported to the county attorney for truancy. In such occurrences, the school administrator will personally contact the parent.