The School Day
School days shall be in accordance with the Oklahoma Statutes and regulations of the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Each school’s specific schedule and procedures will vary. Check with your school office for details.
CONTACTING STUDENTS
School offices are happy to deliver messages to students. Every effort will be made to deliver all messages received, but it is important to be aware that the later in the day a message is received the more difficult it is to make sure students receive it before they leave. School personnel will not accept unapproved deliveries for students at school. This includes deliveries of flowers, balloons, candy, stuffed animals, cards, or other gift items.
STUDENT IDS
For the security of our students and staff, students SHS must have an identification card (provided at no initial charge) in his/her possession at all times. Students will no longer be issued IDs at SJHS beginning with the 20-21 school year.
Failure to carry an identification card and/or present one when requested may result in the person being detained until identification is established and could result in disciplinary action.
Without an ID, students may be denied entrance to or assessed non-student fees for school activities
Lost, stolen, or damaged IDs can be replaced for a $5 fee
ABSENCES
School Board Policy FDC-R1When a student must be absent, the parent or guardian should contact the school attendance office. Absences will be excused for:
Personal or family illness, substantiated by a doctor’s or a parent’s telephone call
In-school appointments, i.e., with a counselor or nurse;
Medical or dental appointments with verifications from the medical professional indicating the day and time of the appointment
Legal matters
Circumstances determined by the principal to be an excused absence, e.g., funerals
Observance of holidays required by student’s religious affiliation
Family business trips and educational trips prearranged by the parent.
Oklahoma state law requires school officials to keep attendance records and report excessive absences to the city attorney’s office in the event of:
Four (4) or more unexcused days or parts of days in a four week period or
Ten (10) or more unexcused days or parts of days per semester
GRADES 1-9
Students in grades one (1) through nine (9) must be in attendance at school a minimum of 90% of the time each semester. This amounts to a maximum of five (5) absences each nine-week grading period and ten (10) absences per semester, regardless if the absence is excused or unexcused. Participation in school activities does not count as an absence.
If a ninth grader goes over the 10 absences in one semester, they are placed on a No Credit List and sent to the Attendance Committee. Students who are denied their course credits in one or more classes are strongly encouraged to appeal the decision and turn in any medical notes that may have been left at home.
GRADES 10-12
The high school attendance is a quarterly process. We have 4 terms; nine weeks each term. Students are allowed to miss 4 days per term before it starts to affect their course credits. State law says students have to be in class 90% of the time to earn credit.
When a student misses 2 days in one or more of his/her classes, a note is sent home to keep the parent/guardian informed. When a student reaches 4 absences in one or more of his/her classes, another note is sent home to let the parent know their child is at the maximum number of days missed before course credits might be affected. Both letters have the student's attendance attached. A copy of our attendance code explanation and frequently asked questions are sent with the letter as well.
We highly recommend parents provide notes when they see the doctor, dentist, counselor, or have a court appearance. The absences that have documentation are changed to a (MED) medical excused or (CT) court excused absence which do not count as 1 of the 4 absences.
If a student goes over the 4 absences in one of the terms, they are placed on a No Credit List and sent to the Attendance Committee. Students who are denied their course credits in one or more classes are strongly encouraged to appeal the decision and turn in any medical notes that may have been left at home.
Students with an unexcused absence during the regular school day will not be admitted to activities such as concerts or athletic events that day.
All absences, whether excused or unexcused, are counted when calculating minimum attendance. Exceptions to this requirement, including medically excused absences, court appointments, and other appointments, may be considered by the administration at the school, so please maintain communication with the office.
Stillwater Pioneer Virtual Academy - Attendance Policy
Weekly Meeting Attendance at the Academy (6-12)
All 6th-12th grade Pioneer Virtual Academy students must complete a weekly meeting where they visit with a teacher from the Pioneer Virtual Academy. At these meetings, students will receive information about their current performance, take assessments, and receive guidance about what should be completed by next week at their meeting. The students are free to make those meetings any day or time they choose when the academy is open. When students are performing successfully, teachers, students, and guardians may choose to decrease the frequency of these meetings.
Weekly Meeting Attendance at the Academy (PreK-5th)
All PreK-5th grade Pioneer Virtual Academy students will meet with their teacher at least once weekly. Students may participate in-person or virtually; we encourage the in-person option. The requirements for the sessions will depend on grade level and academic performance. Elementary students would benefit from coming to the Academy at least once a week for in-person interaction and use of manipulatives. Times will be determined by the teacher in conjunction with family schedules. Opportunities to socialize and play with other students will also be available. Parents or guardians are required to walk their students into the Pioneer Virtual Academy and no student will be dismissed without a parent or guardian coming to sign them out. This is for the safety and security of each student. If you are going to send a relative to pick them up please tell us when they are dropped off or send an email to the appropriate staff member.
Daily Attendance
Students are expected to complete coursework five days per week. This means that students must show five days of activity from Sunday-Saturday. A student’s attendance will be discussed at their weekly meeting and communicated with their parent or guardian. A day of activity is determined by grade level and will be communicated by your teacher. The basic attendance requirements are not enough to keep a student on track for completion of a course but will keep them in attendance.
ASSEMBLIES
Assemblies are important in the school program. They are designed to be educational, entertaining experiences. They provide opportunities in school to learn and demonstrate formal audience behavior. Regardless of the type of program, students should be respectful and appreciative. Talking, whispering, stamping of the feet, and booing are inappropriate. Appropriate assembly behavior includes:
Enter the assembly area as quietly as possible and follow the teacher to the assigned seats.
Give attention immediately to the assembly leaders.
Applaud at the appropriate time.
Be courteous to the performers and to neighbors.
Students who do not demonstrate acceptable assembly behavior may be removed.