Attendance
Absence Phone Numbers
For every absence you MUST call the school Attendance Line before or on the day of the absence (by 8:00am), even if you have talked to or emailed the teacher.
Mark DeLay School attendance phone number: 630-869-5805
Lace School attendance phone number: 630-869-5904
Eisenhower Junior High attendance phone number: 630-869-6035
Attendance
Darien Public School District #61 Attendance Policy
Darien Public School District #61 recognizes that daily attendance is critical to academic achievement. It is our goal to work with students, families and communities to support regular school attendance and improve academic achievement. The student who is frequently absent or tardy misses social interaction, class instruction, and discussion, even though written work is made up.
It's the Law!
The Illinois School Code requires all children ages 6 to 18 to be in school.
The State of Illinois expects a student to miss no more than nine days of school a year, or approximately one day a month. Attendance letters will be sent out to those students who have absences beyond what the state recommends.
District 61 considers a student to be truant who is absent without valid cause for a school day or portion thereof, as defined in Section 26-2a of the School Code of Illinois. A “chronic” or “habitual” truant is a student who is absent without valid cause for five percent or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days. If it is determined that the student is a “chronic or habitual” truant, services which must be provided to the chronic truant may include, but are not limited to: parent-teacher conferences, counseling services by psychologists, counseling services by social workers, psychological testing, alternative educational programs, and alternative school placement. Unexcused and excessive excused absences are subject to truancy action and school discipline.
To comply with state law, you are asked to call the school before 8:00 A.M. if your child is going to be absent. Between 4:00 P.M. and 8:00 A.M., you may leave a message on the absence line by dialing the school number. Please leave the date and time of your call, your child’s name, teacher’s name (DeLay/Lace), and the reason for the absence. If the office does not receive a call, we will attempt to reach you at home or at work after the school day begins to verify an absence. Remember that the responsibility for reporting absences remains with the parents. When you “call in,” it is not necessary to send a note when your child returns to school.
Excused Absences
Students are expected to be in school every day, except in cases of emergency or for reasons stated below which, according to the Illinois School Code, are the only legal excuses for absence from school:
- Illness - the school may require a note from a doctor.
- Observance of religious holiday
- Death in the immediate family
- Family emergency
- Other circumstance outside of the student’s control as identified by the Board of Education in each district
- Other circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent for the safety or health of the student
Unexcused absences
All days of vacation will be considered unexcused absences At 9 days of unexcused absences the DuPage County Regional Office of Education will be notified. Tardiness
Students are expected to be in school by 7:50 a.m. at (EJH), 8:20 a.m. at (Lace), and 8:35 a.m at (DeLay). Students at DeLay and Lace who are tardy to school must have a parent accompany them to the office to sign them in and pick up a pass to class. All unexcused tardies to school will be reflected on your child's attendance record and count towards truancy. Students need to be present in school, on time, every day to maximize their learning time.
Absences and Extracurricular Activities
- A student who misses a full day of school may not participate in any extracurricular activities on that day.
- Students who report to school before 11:30 may participate in any extracurricular activities on that day.
- Students who leave school, due to illness, during the school day may not participate in after school extra-curricular activities.
Students who have been excused from physical education during the day for physical illness or injury may not practice or compete in an athletic activity after school on that day.
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