Reporting an Absence
If your student is not able to attend for all or part of the day, email dcchs-attendance@asd20.org or call 719-234-2802 within 72 hours of your student's absence. Students, even those over 18, are not allowed to excuse themselves. Please provide at least one hour's notice for students needing to be picked up early. All students returning to school from an appointment must check in at the attendance desk. Any absences not cleared by the end of the day will generate an automated attendance phone call and/or email as a reminder. You are then able to notify attendance via ParentSquare.
When reporting an absence via email, phone call or voicemail, please include:
Student’s first and last name
Reason for absence, tardy or early release (see below)
Time for early release and clarification on whether the student will be returning
Students with excessive excused absences/tardies will be asked to provide a doctor's note.
If you get the attendance voicemail, please leave a message. It is checked very frequently. Please do not call multiple times.
Pre-Arranged Absence
For an extended pre-planned absence of three or more consecutive days, please submit a pre-arranged absence form (available on the website, Attendance office and Admin office). Allow your student enough time to obtain the required signatures and turn in the signed form to the Administration Office.
Tardy and Unexcused Absences
Timely attendance in class is essential for academic success. Three or more tardies will result in consequences. Unexcused absences include absences not reported in a timely manner or absences that do not meet approved criteria even if reported by a parent. Consistent tardies and unexcused absences may result in:
Referral to the Dean of Students
Loss of off campus lunch privileges
Loss of attendance waiver
Lunch detention
After-school detention
Saturday school
Examples of Excused Absences
Illness or injury
Medical/dental appointments
Funerals
Court/law enforcement
Family emergency
School-related activities
Religious holiday
Administrative approval
College visit
Weather-related safety issue
Examples of Unexcused Tardy/Absence
Overslept
Running late (morning or returning from lunch)
Missed the bus
Student doesn’t have any work to do in study hall
Traffic
Thunder Time/Assembly excusal
Thunder Time and Assemblies
Thunder Time is designated for various activities both educational and fun that contribute to the culture of your student's Discovery Canyon High School experience. The topics covered are meaningful and attendance is expected. Students cannot be excused from Thunder Time or Assemblies without a handbook approved reason. If an appointment has been scheduled during Thunder Time or an assembly, we need prior notification as it is challenging to dismiss during these unique times. If we are notified without sufficient time to process a dismissal, we will ask that parents physically come into the building to check out students. If your student has an unexcused absence during Thunder Time or an Assembly, it will be handled the same as an unexcused absence from class.