Absence for Family Trips

We realize that many trips may have a high educational value (Governor Mifflin has been very reasonable with family absences), but school attendance cannot be taken for granted. Attendance in school is a state law; if the law is broken without a legitimate reason, we must follow the mandate of the law and mark the children as UNLAWFUL with that absence. Requests will be considered on an individual basis depending on the educational value of the trip. District-wide, we are using a standard form that you must complete to request approval of a trip. These are available in the Cumru office.

The Governor Mifflin School District strongly discourages student absence from school except when illness or other urgent reasons prevent the child from attending. The school district officials are aware that it is not always possible to schedule family trips and vacations while school is not in session. In keeping with our guiding philosophy, but also recognizing the importance of the family unit, the school district will approve educational tours or trips, up to a maximum of five (5) school days per student per year, provided that the following provisions are met:

1. The “Request for Excused Absence” form has been designed for parents to request excused absence from school for preplanned educational tours or trips. This form will be sent to parents when the school receives notification of the intended trip.
2. A parental request for excused absence must be submitted to the office of the child’s school for consideration at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the intended trip. The request must include a statement detailing the educational value of the trip and the name of the person responsible for supervision. The request will be forwarded to the Administrative Assistant for Personnel Services who will respond to the request for excused absence.
3. The Administrative Assistant for Personnel Services will evaluate the request in terms of its educational value, duration, and adequateness of the supervision.  If approved by the Administrative Assistant for Personnel Services, the absence will be considered excused, subject to the student’s satisfactory completion of assignments missed during the absence. At the secondary level (grades 7-12), students must also submit a written report highlighting the education aspects of the trip. Prior to leaving on the trip, it is the responsibility of the student to seek assignments. It will be the responsibility of the student to make up all work missed during the absence within two weeks after the student’s return to school. (See also Behavior Code: Article X section B.).
4. The absence of a student taking a tour or trip which has not received prior approval from the Administrative Assistant for Personnel Services as being educational in nature will be considered unlawful (unexcused) and subject to the provisions of the Compulsory Attendance Laws (section 1333 of the School Code and Article X section B of the Behavior Code.)
5. The maximum number of days approved as excused absences for educational tours or trips will not exceed five (5) days per student per school year.
6. A student may be excused from school to accompany his or her family to attend important family functions such as graduations, weddings, funerals, etc., that are out of town and require lengthy travel. Excusal from school for this reason requires prior approval from the building principal or designee and satisfactory completion of all work missed during the absence.
7. Hunting, fishing, skiing, and other recreation-oriented trips are not considered to be educational tours, trips, or compelling reasons for absence. Absences for recreational activities will be recorded as unexcused (unlawful). Any day(s) of unlawful absence beyond the first notice (three unlawful days of absence) shall result in the school district pursuing appropriate legal action according to Pennsylvania Public School code attendance regulations. This action shall include the filing of a citation against the parent which may result in a fine being levied by the local district justice.

Absences and Illnesses

We request that you CALL THE SCHOOL OFFICE if your child is going to be absent from school (610-775-5081). You may call the school at any time and press 1 to record a message or call after 8:00 a.m. to contact the office directly; you may also call in the afternoon if you know your child will be out the next school day. Please give your child’s name, the teacher’s name and the reason for the absence. We will pass the information on to:

1. Your child’s teacher(s); missed work can be prepared with reasonable notice.
2. The nurse to determine if any pattern of an illness (chicken pox, flu, strep throat, etc.) is beginning.  Also, please let us know if you wish homework prepared (to be picked up or sent home with a sibling, friend, or neighbor); please give the teacher until the end of the school day. If your phone call is not received by 9:30 a.m., the teacher will not be able to prepare the work by the end of the day.

A written excuse for your child’s absence should be presented to the teacher upon your child’s return. After three days of absence, a doctor’s excuse is requested.

Attendance Regulations

All absences are classified as either excused or unlawful. Illness, religious holidays, death in the family, and exceptionally urgent reasons that affect the child are the only reasons for excusable absences from school. All other absences by state law must be entered as unlawful.

Following three days of unlawful absence, parents (guardians) shall be notified in writing by the principal of the penalties for violation of the Compulsory Attendance Laws if further unlawful absences should occur. School officials shall initiate action against parents (guardians) of students who have accumulated in excess of three days of unlawful absence.

When a student has an excessive amount of absences accumulated throughout the school year, the parents (guardians) will be notified to provide a physician’s statement for each succeeding absence.