Lana Walton: Attendance Administrative Assistant and Substitute Teacher Coordinator
Attendance Office: 262-534-3150 extension 3300
Email: attendance@wuhs.us
Report absences on Attendance Monitor through PowerSchool. You can view step-by-step instructions at this link.
Wisconsin State Statute §118.15 allows parents/guardians to excuse their child for up to ten (10) days during the school year. Documented medical/dental appointments, court appearances, family funerals, and post-secondary experiences do not count against a student’s 10-day parent-excused limit. If a student exceeds 10 parent-excused days, a meeting with an Associate Principal will be scheduled and all further absences will require documentation supporting the reason for absence to avoid truancy consequences.
| Attendance Event | Action Needed | Does it count toward truancy? |
|---|---|---|
| Illness/Injury | Parent/Guardian should call attendance office (262-534-3150 extension 3300) to report absence
Or Parent/Guardian should report absence through Attendance Monitor |
Yes – unless documentation is provided from a medical provider stating absence was necessary. |
| Appointment | Parent/Guardian should call attendance office (262-534-3150 extension 3300) to report absence
Or Parent/Guardian should report absence through Attendance Monitor |
Yes – unless documentation is provided by the medical provider, dentist, etc. |
| Family Vacation, Hunting, etc | Parent/Guardian should call attendance office (262-534-3150 extension 3300) to report absence
Or Parent/Guardian should report absence through Attendance Monitor And Parent/Guardian and student should fill out Pre-Excused Absence form and turn it in 48 hours prior to absence. |
Yes |
| Post Secondary Experience
(College/Technical College Visit, Job Shadow, Military Recruiter) |
Parent/Guardian should call attendance office (262-534-3150 extension 3300) to report absence
Or Parent/Guardian should report absence through Attendance Monitor And Parent/Guardian and student should fill out the Pre-Excused Absence form |
No – if the Pre-Excused Absence form has the appropriate signatures from the college/job shadow/etc. |
| Funeral | Parent/Guardian should call attendance office (262-534-3150 extension 3300) to report absence
Or Parent/Guardian should report absence through Attendance Monitor And Parent/Guardian and student should fill out Pre-Excused Absence form and turn it in 48 hours prior to absence. |
No – if documentation is provided (obituary/funeral card, etc). |
| Court | Parent/Guardian should call attendance office (262-534-3150 extension 3300) to report absence
Or Parent/Guardian should report absence through Attendance Monitor |
No – if the Pre-Excused Absence form has the appropriate signature from a court representative. |
A student is more than 10 minutes late to school due to…
|
Parent/Guardian should call attendance office (262-534-3150 extension 3300) to report absence
Or Parent/Guardian should report absence through Attendance Monitor |
Yes |
Attendance and Co-Curriculars:
A co-curricular participant must be in attendance the full school day to be eligible to be able to participate (practice and competitions). Exceptions to this rule may include: School-sponsored activities, family emergencies, doctor/dentist appointments, college visits, and/or others at the administration’s discretion. Contact with the Athletic and Activities Director PRIOR to an absence is required for exceptions to this rule. Unexcused absences will not be tolerated.
- A participant suspended or expelled from school will not be allowed to participate in or attend co-curricular activities during the suspension/expulsion period. A student suspended on a Friday, may not participate in a weekend activity or event.
- Student-athletes enrolled in PE class, but are medically excused from physical education class on any given day may not participate in practice or game on that day.
- A student absent on the day prior to a non-school day or days on which a contest is scheduled (i.e. absent on Friday with a Saturday contest) may participate in the non-school day contest at the discretion of the coach.
- The head coach or advisor determines the attendance policies for practices, games, meets, and contests. The attendance policy is to be shared with team members and parents at the beginning of the season.
Homework
1. As a minimum standard for every day a student is excused absent, he/she will be allowed to have a day to make up missed work.
2. Students who miss class due to a field trip are responsible for the schoolwork of that given day.
3. Parents may request homework for students who are absent from school for two or more consecutive days. When requesting homework, parents should contact the attendance office at 534-3150 prior to 9:30 am to request that assignments be gathered for their student.
4. If your student has an extended illness, please contact their Guidance Counselor and/or the Associate Principal to begin making arrangements. Students who are absent due to illness for an extended period of time (more than five consecutive days) will need a doctor’s excuse.
Pre-Excused Absences
Pre-Excused Form (updated for the 2023 school year)
Wisconsin State Statute §118.15 allows parents/guardians to pre-excuse their child for up to ten (10) days during the school year. Absences typically falling into this category may include discretionary absences known in advance such as family vacations/travel, weddings, and hunting. It is the responsibility of parents to determine which experiences shall supersede attendance at school, understanding that every time a student misses a class he/she is placed in a less advantageous position to meet the objectives of the lesson. In order for students to qualify for this type of absence, a pre-arranged absence form must be filled out and submitted to the Attendance Office at least 48 hours in advance of the absence. This two-day period is in place so that (1) parents are allowed an opportunity to make a written request for the absence; (2) teachers are informed of the absence so they can discuss lessons that will be missed along with upcoming tests/quizzes; and (3) the office is able to keep accurate records of student attendance.
When a pre-arranged excuse is sought, students can pick up the required form in the Attendance Office, Main Office, or from the WUHS website. A parent/guardian signature is required on the form, as well as the dates and reason for absence, along with signatures from the student’s teachers and the Dean of Students. The form allows for teachers to communicate with students the coursework that is to be completed before, during and after the absence. Students are responsible for completing any coursework assigned to them during this absence.
Senior Privilege
Seniors must obtain prior approval from the office of the Associate Principal before early release or late arrival privileges begin. If a student is enrolled in a work/vocational release program, they are not eligible for senior privilege.
REQUIRED:
1. Study hall on your schedule
2. Parent approval.
3. No grades lower than a C.
4. No major behavioral or attendance infractions. Students who violate behavior, grade or attendance expectations may have their senior privilege revoked.
Truancy
Students are required by state law to attend school until the age of 18. Students are truant when they are absent without a valid cause for a school day or any portion thereof, as defined in Section 118 of the Wisconsin State Statutes. A habitual truant is defined as a pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for part or all of 5 or more days, or part of all of 10 or more days a year even with an excused absence. Habitual absences and truancy will require a conference with parents and administration. Truancy that is unresolved will lead to school consequences for the student, along with a referral to the Waterford Police Department for a municipal citation. If the problem is not rectified, the parent/guardian and student will be referred to Racine County Juvenile Court as mandated by Wisconsin State Statute §188.16. With the exception of semester exams, a teacher is not required to provide students with an opportunity to make up work missed on the day(s) the student is truant. Students would be subject to truancy consequences due to one or more of the following:
- Being absent from school without permission from a parent/guardian
- Leaving school without permission or without signing out in the Attendance Office (students leaving the building without permission will also be issued a Saturday detention)
- Coming to school but not attending classes as assigned
- Being unexcused / over-limit due to exceeding ten (10) or more parent-excused absences
Truancy Consequences
1st Truancy Offense: No credit for class(es), conference with student, parent notification. A one (1) hour after school detention assigned. If the student fails to serve the 1 hour detention, a Saturday (2.5 hour) detention will be issued in place of the one hour detention. If a student fails to serve the Saturday detention, they will be placed in In-School Suspension (ISS) the following school day. After serving a full day of ISS, the Saturday detention will be considered served.
2nd Truancy Offense: No credit for class(es), conference with student, parent notification. A Saturday (2.5 hour) detention will be assigned. If a student fails to serve the Saturday detention, they will be placed in In-School Suspension (ISS) the following school day. After serving a full day of ISS, the Saturday detention will be considered served.
3rd and Subsequent Truancy Offenses: Referral to the Waterford Police Department for a municipal truancy citation per Village of Waterford ordinance and Wisconsin Compulsory School Attendance Law. If the truancy problem is not rectified, the student may be referred to Racine County Juvenile Court.