Send all doctor’s excuses and parent notes to the following email: 

mcis.attendance@mercer.kyschools.us

Please include an easily identifiable subject

Consistent, on-time attendance is essential to maximizing each child’s opportunity to obtain a quality education. Every effort should be made to keep absences and tardiness to a minimum.

 

MCIS Strives for a 95-100% Attendance Goal for all Students  

A student should have no more than 7 or 8 total absences for the year.

Good School Attendance= Student Success in the Classroom

 

 

 

Daily Attendance Expectations

• Excused Absences for Medical, Mental, or Behavioral Health: TEN NOTE Limit for the Year-   Medical/Mental/Behavioral Health Notes are limited to ten (10) for the year.  In special circumstances, or as deemed necessary by a chronic health situation, additional days may be granted after a form is completed by your family physician for doctor/medical excuses with medical documentation and principal/designee approval.   (Note:  The ten (10) note limit does not apply to IEP’s or 504’s where medical documentation regarding the chronic health issues has been provided and approved and is on file at the school)         

• After School Appointments-  Families, staff, and students are encouraged to make doctor/dental/optometrist/orthodontist appointments after school or on the days of the school breaks unless it is related to an immediate health need. 

• Absences & Written Documentation- Always provide written or email documentation for any absence. Written OR Email Documentation- Every time your child is tardy, checks out early, or is absent; you are encouraged to EMAIL an excuse on the day of the student’s return to school.  There is a 5-day grace period to submit the documentation. 

• Six Parent Absent Excuse Limit for the Year  Mercer County School District allows a total of six (6) parent excused absences for the year.   If a student is already a habitual truant, as defined by Kentucky statutes, this automatically revokes the use of any parent notes. 

• Parent Excused Tardy- Mercer County School District allows a total of six (6) parent excused morning and/or afternoon tardy for the year. To avoid being tardy, students must be in their classrooms by 8:05 a.m. 

• Parent Excuse Absences Can Be Revoked-   Once a student has six parent excused absences, or has already become a habitual truant as defined by Kentucky statutes, all subsequent absences will require a medical statement.    

• Unexcused Absences-   Once a student has six (6) unexcused absences, he/she is then a habitual truant as defined by Kentucky statutes.    If a student is already a habitual truant, as defined by Kentucky statutes, this automatically revokes the use of any parent excuses. 

• For absences and tardies without written documentation- A Parent Excuse will be used to excuse the absent/tardy if these are available.  If the limit of six (6) parent excused absence/tardy have been reached, the absence/tardy will be considered unexcused. 

Checking Students In and Out of School

• Checking in Students- Families must sign the student in and provide written documentation for the reason for the absence.  A parent excuse or doctor’s excuse in addition to signing log is required.   For absences and tardies without written documentation, a Parent Excuse will be used to excuse the absent/tardy if these are available.  If the limit of six (6) parent excuse absence/tardy have been reached, the absence/tardy will be considered unexcused. 

• Checking Out Students- Families must check out students, sign the log, and provide written documentation for the reason for the checkout.  PARENT NOTE or DOCTOR NOTE in addition to signing log is required.  If a student must be checked out prior to dismissal, we respectfully request this be done before 2:30 p.m unless it is an emergency.

• If someone other than the parent will be checking out a child- A written note authorizing one of the individuals on their check-out list must be received in the office the morning of the check-out, with a number to reach the guardian to verify the check-out. In case of an emergency or extenuating circumstance, contact the principal, and authorization for the check-out may be granted through the office of the Principal. 

 

Enhanced Educational Opportunities (EHO)

Students may be excused for up to 10 days per year for educational activities. This application form (09.123 AP.2) must be completed and returned to your school Principal at least five (5) days before the absence. The Principal then deems if it is educationally relevant and determines approval. This type of absence can not occur during the school’s KSA Testing or District-Wide assessments unless the Principal approves extenuating circumstances. 

Home / Hospital (HomeBound)

Suppose a student is anticipated to be absent for five days or more due to surgery, medical procedure, accident, serious illness, or medical-related long-term absence. In that case, they can complete a home/hospital application for service requests for home/hospital instruction.   

Home/Hospital is designed for short-term instructional delivery options only.  Students in home/hospital for longer than ten days are not eligible for extracurricular events and school activities. Suppose a parent believes there are exceptional circumstances. In that case, they may seek an appeal through the home/hospital school committee that reviewed the original home hospital application.