Otamatea High School

School Administration >> Procedure for Absense
Procedure for Absence document. ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL On the first day your child is absent, the parent/caregiver should ring the school to explain why the child is away. The office staff will then inform your child's form teacher of the absence. No further action need be taken. If you are unable to contact the school by telephone, on the first day your child returns to school you must provide them with a note explaining their absence. If your child is absent from school, and his/her vertical form teacher does not know the reason why, the teacher will ask the office staff to phone the child's home to ask why he/she is not at school. A note must be supplied in these circumstances. Long term absences must be discussed with the Principal who must give his permission for this to occur e.g. overseas holidays. The student is to give their absence note to their vertical form teacher during morning form time. The teacher will mark on the class register that a note has been received.	Click on the icon to download the Procedure for Absense document
LATE TO SCHOOL The student must "sign in" on the clipboard in the office when he/she arrives at school. If a parent/caregiver is with them, then they should put their signature on the sheet also. If the student has a note, then it should be left on the clipboard and a parent/caregiver signature is, therefore, not necessary. If a parent/caregiver wants to ring the school to say their child is going to be late, then they may do so - it is not compulsory but appreciated.
DEPARTURE DURING THE DAY The student's parent / caregiver should provide a note explaining why the student must leave during the school day. The student should bring that note to Mrs Perry for her to sign, straight after they have been marked present and heard the daily notices during morning vertical form time. When the student goes to leave, he/she must "sign out" on the clipboard in the school office. The note must be left on the clipboard. (Mrs Perry passes the note on to the student's vertical form teacher the next day.) If the student does not have a note, then the parent/caregiver or adult who is collecting the student from school must put their signature on the sheet also. It would be appreciated if a note could also be sent to the vertical form teacher the next day.
SENIORS It is important that senior students make sure they do get to vertical form class on time and are marked present as good attendance is a requirement for the successful completion of the courses. If a senior student misses an assessment, then a medical certificate or some form of documented proof must be provided to the school. A note from a parent is not acceptable.
ATTENDANCE OFFICER Otamatea High School is part of the Otamatea District Truancy Service. If a student has a number of days and/or a regular pattern of particular days away from school, then their name, address, phone number and absence details will be referred to the Attendance Officer who will make personal or written contact with the parents/caregivers.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS / PHONE NUMBER If a family moves, changes phone number or gets a number when they did not have one before, then it is important that the school is notified - particularly for emergency reasons.
LEAVING SCHOOL If a student is leaving school, then the parent is required to ring the school and / or provide a signed note at least a week prior to the student's last day. The student must collect from the office a Leaver's Clearance Sheet, take it home for their parent/caregiver to sign, bring it back and go around all their teachers before their last day at school. The teachers will sign this form and fill in any outstanding fees / books that need to be returned. Everything needs to be settled up before the student's last day. A Leaving Certificate can be provided to students who want one - but they are not issued unless the student has fully completed the leaving process. They cannot be issued to students who have left during/because of suspension, or who have been expelled.