Attendance Policy

The School Day

The Father Dueñas Memorial School instructional day begins at 7:50 AM and ends at 2:50 PM. During the day, students are expected to be prompt to classes, to be prepared to learn and demonstrate a positive, cooperative attitude.

The school campus is open at 7:00 AM and closes at 3:45 PM. No student is allowed on campus outside of these times unless engaged in a supervised activity. Otherwise, parents are asked to ensure that their sons are in their care outside of these times.

Attendance Marks

It is the educational philosophy of Father Dueñas Memorial School that regular attendance at school by all students is essential, and lost instructional time cannot be fully replicated by any other means. Only through regular attendance at scheduled classes and activities can students obtain the maximum opportunity from the educational program offered at Father Dueñas Memorial School.

Father Dueñas Memorial School uses three types of categories to keep track of student attendance. Every school day a student will receive one the following three marks:

1. Present: Present means the student was on time and ready to begin class before the ringing of the late bell. Furthermore, the student did not leave early. A student who leaves early due to a medical or dental appoint only, missing no more than 30 minutes of the school day will be still be marked present. The student must submit to the office verification of the medical or dental appointment. This grace will be granted only twice during the school year. Otherwise, an early dismissal will be marked either as “Half Day Absent” or “Absent” depending on the amount of instructional time missed.
2. Tardy: Tardy means the student was not present when the late bell rang at 7:55 AM, but subsequently arrived to school. Every three (3) tardies will be recorded as one (1) absence in the student’s permanent record.
3. Absent: Absent means the student missed the entire school day.

These three marks are also assigned by teachers to monitor a student’s attendance in a particular class.

Excused Absences and Tardies

A reasonable cause for which an absence or tardy will be considered excused may include but is not limited to the following:

1. The student has a medical or dental appointment that could not otherwise be scheduled outside of the school day (A doctor’s note of verification is required).
2. The student is ill (For an extended illness of three or more days absent, a health care professional’s note of verification is required).
3. The student is seriously injured, preventing him from concentrating on learning.
4. A death of an immediate family member of the student.
5. The student is participating in a school sponsored or approved activity.
6. Bus was late.
7. Bus failed to pick up student.
8. The student was in conference with the principal or a teacher.
9. The student was in the office because of an illness or injury.
10. Pre-arranged travel off-island with permission from the principal or assistant principal.
11. Catastrophe or disaster.
12. Traffic due to a verifiable car crash or similar incident.

Additionally, a student may have a valid reason for being tardy for class because he is meeting with a teacher, counselor, or administrator. A teacher may also have released the students late from their last class. These students must always obtain an admit slip by presenting a note from that teacher, counselor, or administrator to the registrar before proceeding to their next class.

Truancy

Truancy is defined by Guam law as “absent from school without a reasonable and bona fide excuse from a parent.” FDMS considers the following items to be unreasonable excuses for being absent or tardy from school:

1. Personal errands,
2. Baby-sitting,
3. Oversleeping,
4. Missing the bus
5. Tiredness
6. Car trouble
7. General, daily traffic
8. Work or assisting with a family business
9. Homework
10. Studying for a test or exam

As this is not an exhaustive list and unforeseen situations may arise, FDMS reserves the right to determine the reasonableness of an excuse for an absence or tardiness.

All instances of missed instructional time, including truancy, are recorded following the attendance marks described in the sections above.

Missed assignments, tests, quizzes and projects due to truancy cannot be made-up (i.e., homework due, homework assigned, class work, tests and quizzes of that time missing from school will be marked as zero “0”) For additional consequences of truancy, please read subsection “Repeated Absences” in the section below.

Makeup Work for Excused Absences and Tardiness

Except in the case of truancy, students must make up all work missed due to an absence in order to receive credit for the assignments. It is the responsibility of the student to ask his teacher for any missed assignments and to complete the work.

Work or tests that have been previously assigned before the student was absent are due the day he returns unless his teacher states otherwise.

Upon returning to school after any absence, students should bring a written note of explanation from their parent or guardian. A written note from a doctor may be required in some instances verifying the illness and the necessity for an extended absence from school.

Tardy Procedures

Students are held responsible for being punctual to class and homeroom. A student who is tardy must go immediately to the office to obtain an admit slip for class, as teachers may not allow a tardy student to enter class without one. A 15 minute lunch detention for each incidence of tardiness to homeroom or to class may be issued.

Repeated Unexcused Tardiness

For the purpose of deterring habitual tardiness, and to support learning in the classroom, FDMS adheres to the following measures:

1. Teachers may consider punctuality to class to be a certain percentage of the participation grade.
2. Parents will be called or emailed a notification when their child has excessive or repeated tardies in a class or homeroom. Parents are also asked to regularly check their son’s attendance records on Vision.
3. Students who have excessive tardies in a class or homeroom may receive after school or Saturday detention. Additionally, a student who completely misses homeroom due to an unexcused tardiness will receive after school or Saturday detention.

Absence Procedures

The school is very concerned for the safe arrival of each student every day. To ensure that the student who has not arrived to school is in safe care, the school adheres to the following procedures:

1. Before 8:30 AM, please contact the school at 734-2261 or 2263 if your son is going to be late or absent due to an appointment, illness, or any other cause. A staff member will be present in the office by 7:30 AM on school days to receive your call.
2. If a student is absent and the school has not been notified by 8:30 AM, the office will attempt to call the student’s parent using the contact information we have on file.
3. If there is no answer at the home or mobile phone, we may contact a parent at work. Safety is our main concern and we thank you in advance for your cooperation.

The school realizes that these phone calls can be a nuisance for parents who commute early in the day, but we believe it is worth the effort to know that all of our students have either arrived at school or are in your care.

When arriving to school after an absence or tardy, the student must report to the office before going to class. He is to present to the registrar a note from his parent stating the reason for his absence or tardiness. A written verification from a health care professional is required for absences due to medical/dental appointment or extended absences (three or more days) due to illness. Without such note from a parent or verification from a health care professional the absence may be counted as truancy.

The student will not be allowed into class without an admission slip from the registrar. This admission slip is to be signed by teachers of the classes he missed. At the end of the day the student must return the slip to the registrar’s office. This is the responsibility of the student.

Repeated Absences

For the purpose of deterring habitual absences, and to support learning in the classroom, FDMS adheres to the following measures:

1. Each act of truancy requires a meeting between the student’s parent and the principal (or the principal’s designee). Remedies will be discussed.
2. Repeated acts of truancy may result in suspension and may lead to expulsion.
3. After six absences in one quarter a student will not be admitted back to school until the parent of the student meets with the principal.
4. Nine absences in one quarter will result in failing the quarter in all subjects affected by the absences.
5. Thirty-Six (36) absences in one school year will result in failing the year in all the subjects affected by the absences. No credit will be received for those classes.
6. For the purpose of these calculations, three tardies count as one absence.

Extended Absence

If you know that your son will be absent for an extended time (three or more days), please let the school know as soon as possible. The Pre-Arranged Extended Absent Form is available at the office or can be downloaded below. The school discourages extended absences during the school year when at all possible. Homework may be requested from teachers prior to or in the midst of an extended absence, but the teachers are not required to provide advanced assignments. Upon returning, the student may have additional work to complete other than what was assigned prior to the absence. All work assigned to the student prior to the extended absence is due the day they return unless otherwise stated by his teachers.

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Extended Absence Pre-arrangement Form

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