Excused Absences Defined:
- College visits (on or off campus)
- Driver’s license examination (not the permit test)
- Family emergency
- Illness
- Visit to the nurse’s office
- Prearranged excused absences for student participation in non‐school competition and performance activities
- Prearranged family vacations
- Professional appointments that cannot be scheduled outside of the school day
- Spectators at state/regional competitions: student spectators must have parent/guardian approval and follow all attendance policy
School Authorized Absences Defined:
- Ceremonies in which the student is being honored or presented with an award (e.g. Rotary)
- Chronic illness
- Court-ordered appearances
- Death in the student’s immediate family or of a close friend or relative
- Field trips
- Interscholastic meets and events
- Musical sectionals
- Religious holidays and/or instruction (up to three hours per week)
- Illness in student’s immediate family (documentation required by medical personnel)
- Suspension
- Student government and related activities
- Verified meeting conducted with school personnel
Unexcused Absences Defined:
- Any absence in which a student and/or parent fails to comply with MHS reporting attendance procedures
- Work at home
- Work at a business, except under a school-sponsored work release program
- Non-prearranged family vacations
- Missed bus
- Overslept
- Truancy/skipping school
- Other non-school authorized excuses