Attendance

Success in Learning

Being in school every day at Colorado STEM Academy is necessary to promote success in learning. Frequent absences or tardiness may lead to poor academic work, lack of social development and possible academic failure. Attendance is critical for school interest, social adjustment and academic achievement. Consequently, students who miss school frequently experience great difficulty in achieving the maximum benefits of school.

Excused Absences

Students are expected to be in attendance in all classes each day. Only students who are ill with a doctor's note, have a medical appointment that cannot be scheduled at another time, or who have a family emergency will be excused. Phone calls to verify absences for students will be accepted only from a parent or legal guardian. For convenience in calling, voice mail answering is available outside of regular hours at 303.657.3966 to record student absences. If no call is received the day of the absence, a student may be considered unexcused and truant. Parents without phones should make personal contact with the school during registration or prior to the start of school. Written notes will be accepted only in these situations. If a student must bring a note, it will be the student’s responsibility to bring it to the office.

Colorado Law

It is necessary for every child who has attained the age of seven years and is under the age of sixteen to attend school (Colorado Revised Statute 22-23-104). Westminster Public Schools School Board, as directed by (Colorado Revised Statute 22-23-107), defines a habitually truant student as “a student having four (4) unexcused absences in any one month or ten (10) unexcused absences from public school during any school year. ” Absences due to the suspension or expulsion of a child shall be considered excused absences. An unexcused absence, which may be from a single class or multiple classes, is one that the school does not approve. Examples of absences that are unexcused include babysitting, oversleeping, working, missing the bus or ride, “ditch days,” or being gone ten minutes or more from an assigned class.

A student is considered tardy if he/she is not in the classroom, ready for instruction when class begins at 8:15 AM.  Please note that accumulated tardies do count towards absences.  

Tardy Policy

A student is considered tardy if he/she is not in the classroom, ready for instruction when class begins at 8:15 AM.  Please note that accumulated tardies do count towards absences.