Every School Day Matters- Can We Count You
In?
Every day at Shepherd, administration, faculty and staff deliver this important
message, backed up by research:
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Every period absence matters at every grade level.
Every class period missed is a period of instruction missed, and another day of classroom
interaction with students and teachers that can’t be recovered.
The following steps are taken to increase daily attendance:
1. Parent/Guardian is required to do one of the following:
 Per A.R.S. 15-901 (A)(1): Absences will only be excused for the following
reasons: illness, doctor/ortho appointment, bereavement, family emergencies
TO FAX A
and out-of-school suspensions.
DOCTOR OR
 Call in an ABSENCE with REASON for the absence prior to 9am on the
day of the absence:
ORTHO NOTE,
 472-1804 – Audrey McIntosh
PLEASE DIAL
 472-1805 – Automated Attendance Line
480-472-1888  Provide documentation for medical, dental, counseling or court appointments
promptly. Schedule appointments and vacations outside of school hours.
 If a student arrives 10 minutes after the first class period of the day
begins, the tardy will be recorded as an absence.
2. School: We track and report attendance every period, every day!
 Attendance letters are mailed home when a student reaches:
 5,10, & 15 class period absences (Excused or unexcused)
 Automated phone messages and emails are sent out to alert parents of student
class period absences twice a day.
 Each month we recognize improved attendance with a
certificate and incentive.
3. District: MPS District Attendance Officer will intervene
when a student reaches:
 16 unex/ex ABSENCES* - meet and give an attendance
warnings
 20 unex/ex ABSENCES* – may issue citation & refer to Maricopa County
Juvenile Court
* no doctor, orthodontic, counseling, court documentation, or
funeral notice
Pursuant to A.R.S 15-901 (A)(1),”The Department of Education defines an
excused absence as being an absence due to illness, doctor/dental
appointment, bereavement, family emergencies, and out-of-school
suspensions.” All absences accrued past 10% of class periods will be reported to
ADE as unexcused.
SHEPHERD STALLIONS……KEEPING UNDER TEN!!
Shepherd Tardy Policy
Tardiness:
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Interrupts learning for everyone in the classroom.
Students who are tardy miss the very important
beginning of class.
Good attendance and punctuality are skill for success
in life; that is why we emphasize both.
1. Tardiness will be excused for the following reasons:
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Medical, dental or counseling appointment
Illness
Funeral or Family emergency
Out-of-School Suspensions
Tardiness caused by missing the bus, sleeping in, babysitting, accompanying other
people to appointments, etc. will not be excused.
2. Attendance Reminders:
 All late arrivals are to report to the Front Office to sign in and receive a pass.
 When returning from an appointment, please report to the Front Office first
before returning to class to get pass.
 If you are more than 10 minutes late to a class, you will be reported absent
instead of tardy.
 Check in with teacher and get a hall pass before you see an administrator,
counselor, or nurse.
3. Consequences For Tardies:
1. First and Second Offense: Verbal Warning
2. Third Offense: Lunch detention along with parent contact by note, phone, or
conference
3. Additional offense: administrator referral to ALC, parent contact