Attendance Line: 403-777-7360 ext. 1

Attendance Policy at Ian Bazalgette School

The Attendance Policy at Ian Bazalgette is based on the following principles:

1.  Regular attendance is mandatory as per the school act and is the responsibility of the student and parent or guardian

2.  The role of the teacher is to encourage full attendance and support this by maintaining an accurate record of student attendance, sharing this information with students and parents/guardians as required and reporting student attendance concerns to administration.

3.  The administration, with support from teachers, and parents/guardians, is responsible for working with students to resolve critical attendance problems.

If students are absent:

1. Bring a note to the office from a parent or guardian stating the date(s) of the absence and the reason(s) for the absence.

OR

2.  Have his or her parent or guardian call the attendance line (403-777-7360 Ext: 1) and give your child’s name and homeroom, the date(s) of the absence and the reason(s) for the absence. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain and complete all work missed while absent and to make arrangements to write tests or complete tasks that may have been missed. The Principal has the right to determine whether an absence is considered excused or unexcused.

3. The school is not responsible for providing work for students whose families go on extended vacations during the school year. Attendance is mandatory under the School Act, and a student’s overall achievement will be affected by extended absences. 

Student attendance is not just entering the building, it also includes going to class and attending each class throughout the day. It is the expectation of ALL staff that ALL students arrive to class on time and stay for the duration of the class. They are not permitted to leave the class without teacher permission. 

• On or before the third absence/late in a course the teacher shall discuss attendance with the student, outlining expectations and future actions.
• On or about the fifth absence/late in a course the teacher shall contact home by email and/or phone to inform home and discuss the effect of irregular attendance on achievement. Teachers will log the communication in PowerSchool Log Entries.
• On or about the tenth absence/late in a course a referral will be sent to administration (A-L Sarah; M-Z Laura), outlining contacts with student and home. Communication will be logged in PowerSchool Log Entries.
• If student attendance and tardiness continue to be a problem, several administrative initiatives may be taken, such as conferences with parents, attendance improvement plans, and even modified school schedule are all possible options.
• Other administrative action (in consultation with parents/student/teacher) may include, but is not limited to suspension, involvement of a counsellor and/or area specialist, or other outside agencies.

Parent involvement is key to student success and teachers and administration will communicate attendance concerns via phone, email and face to face meetings.  Student success is a team effort between home and school. 

Late Arrival/Early Departure from School

To ensure the most success for your son or daughter it is extremely important that they arrive each day on time and prepared to learn.  If a student arrives after 8:00 a.m. or after 12:34 p.m. they are considered late.  If a student is late due to an illness, appointment etc., please send the student with a signed and dated note or phone the office 403-777-7360 ext: 1 (please leave a detailed message).  If a student arrives late and it is not excused a home call will be made.  Please review the Ian Bazalgette School Bell Schedule with your student to ensure that they are aware of the important times. If you need to pick up your child before regular dismissal, please pick up your child in the office and sign them out stating the reason. Students in a middle school setting are not permitted to leave the school before dismissal unless a parent or guardian is there to pick them up.

In case of an emergency or if a student needs to go home due to illness, it is essential for the office to be able to contact a parent at any time during the day. Please inform us of telephone and/or address changes.

Family Trips and Extended Absence Forms

We are receiving more requests for learning support from families wishing to travel. If choosing to travel during the school year when school is in session, please be aware of the following:

• The Calgary Board of Education believes there is a strong positive correlation between attendance and effective education.
• The Education Act excuses students from attending school due to illness or other unavoidable cause, religious holidays, suspension/expulsion, or permission from the Board. An absence outside of these exemptions will be recorded as an unexcused absence.
• Absences may affect a child’s academic progress at school.
• Schools are not mandated to provide schoolwork for extended absence.
• It is parents/guardians’ responsibility to review and support their child’s learning.
• The cumulative effect of multiple extended school absences could result in significant gaps in a child’s learning and achievement.
• Absences may affect a child’s peer relationships at school.
•  Make sure to notify the school and the child’s teachers of leave of absence by filling in The Leave of Absence Form. This form can be found in the main office.