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Reporting an absence:
If a student will be absent from school, a parent or guardian must call or email the Assistant Principal’s office to report the absence no later than 8:30 am.     

  • High School Assistant Principal’s office: 352-6575 ext. 6715

  • Middle School Assistant Principal's office: 352-6575 ext 6764

  • Attendance email: mrmhsattendance@mrsd.org

School attendance is covered by State Law 193:1. Regular, prompt attendance is also a district requirement and is essential for students' academic success. Parents must ensure that their children attend school and cooperate with the following rules:

1. Parental notification. In the event of an illness, parents MUST call or email the school and inform the district of the student’s illness and absence. For other absences, parents must provide written notice or a written excuse that states one of these reasons for non-attendance. The Principal may also require parents to provide additional documentation in support of their written notice, including but not limited to doctor’s notes, court documents, obituaries, or other documents supporting the claimed reason for non-attendance. Notes from doctors for appointments of extended illness and for court appearances must be on letterhead, signed by an appropriate official and must be turned in to the Assistant Principal’s office as soon as possible after the student returns to school. If possible, all school work should be obtained in advance and made up.

A note from a parent submitted to the assistant principal’s office giving a reason for a student being out of school does not in and of itself qualify it as an excused absence. Students who are absent are not to participate in school activities that day or evening. Exceptions for unusual circumstances must have the approval of the school administration.

New this year, we will be using an automated calling system if we do not receive a phone call notifying the school that your student will be absent. This call goes out at 9:30 am for the middle school and at 10:00 am for high school students. 

The following reasons will be accepted for student absences:

  1. Observation or celebration of a bona fide Religious Holiday
  2. Court appearances
  3. Death in the family
  4. Illness (medical note required)
  5. School nurse dismissals
  6. Family / individual counseling session
  7. Student involvement in school-sponsored activities
  8. Recovery from an accident
  9. Medical and dental appointments (medical note required)
  10. Up to three days if college visitation - junior and senior years only

Absences for reasons other than the above will not be excused.

The following reasons will be exempted from the attendance policy:

  1. School-sponsored activities (testing, field trips, sports)
  2. Disciplinary action (ISS)

Once a reason for absence is made known to the administration, a determination will be made as to whether it is excused or unexcused. Only the school administration may excuse a student from school attendance. A telephone call from a parent does not in itself excuse an absence.

2. Excused tardiness. Students who, for unexcused reasons, are tardy to school 30 minutes or less are marked tardy. Students may accumulate five (5) unexcused tardies to school per quarter without consequences. Consequences begin with the sixth (6th) tardy to school. The reasons accepted for absences will generally be accepted for tardiness.

3. Recordkeeping. Each teacher shall take attendance at the beginning of each class and record each student's presence, absence, or tardiness.

4. Making up work. Students are expected to make up any work missed due to any excused absences or tardiness.