The administration and faculty of Fayetteville-Manlius High School believe that they have an obligation to provide educational opportunities for every student. Along with the school's commitment, however, is an accompanying obligation for each student to accept responsibility for his/her education.

To actively pursue personal learning and to contribute toward the learning of others, each student must attend class regularly and be punctual. The high school attendance system includes important roles for students, parents, teachers, and administrators.  The following guidelines have been established in conjunction with regulations set forth by the New York State Education Department.            

Parents

On the day of an absence a parent or guardian should call the high school attendance office (692-1912 or 692-1969) between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m. Please note, between 6:00 and 7:30 am a message may be left on the answering machine. Failure to notify the school will result in the attendance personnel having to call the parent during the school day or during the evening. Within two days of the student's return to school following an absence, the parent should provide his/her child with a written excuse containing the student's full given name, grade level, the reason for the absence, the exact date of the absence(s) and the parent's signature.  Please use the absentee form on the back of the STPA newsletters.

Time limit for bringing in absence excuses  
Students are expected to bring in written excuses for any absences within 48 hours upon returning to school.  If no written excuse is received within the 48-hour period, the student will be contacted by the attendance office.  In addition, a letter will be sent home requesting the written excuse.  If none is received within 10 days from the date of the letter, the student will be marked as unexcused (truant) from school with appropriate consequences issued.

Excused absences, as defined by the Attendance Policy:

• Sickness
• Sickness/Death in Family
• Required Court Appearances
• Scheduled Appointments with Physicians, Health Clinics, and/or Agencies 
• Religious Observance / Impassable Roads / Quarantine
• Approved Work Program / Military Obligation
• Approved Externship/Internship/Volunteer Activity
• Counselor Endorsed College Visit
• Administrative excuse

Students/Homerooms

Each student must report to his/her assigned homeroom at the beginning of the homeroom period every day for attendance purposes.  Students who arrive late to homeroom three times within a marking period will be assigned a detention.  Each subsequent group of three lates will also warrant the assignment of additional detentions.

Students who arrive at school anytime during the school day after the homeroom period (7:45 - 7:50 a.m.) must sign in immediately at the House I or House II doors and report directly to the attendance office. 

A student must report to the Attendance Office (House I) to:

• Turn in an excuse for a previous absence upon his/her return to school.
• Submit a written parent request to receive a pass for early dismissal prior to homeroom.
• Contact a parent for early dismissal approval

Late to school

The only acceptable reason for being late to school is a scheduled health related appointment, required court appearances, or extreme emergencies.  Parents are encouraged to schedule any appointments outside of the school day so as not to miss instructional time.  

• All students must be in their homerooms by 7:45 a.m.
• Students who arrive in homeroom after 7:45 a.m. are considered tardy.
• Students arriving after 7:50 a.m. must sign in at the attendance office upon arrival.
• Notes for all tardies and absences must be turned in to the attendance office.
• Failure to sign in immediately at the attendance office when arriving late to school will result in a detention the first time and a Saturday detention for subsequent times.
• Students who are late three times in a 10 - week marking period will be issued a warning by the Attendance Office.
• The 4th late in a marking period will result in the assignment of an after school detention(s) from the Attendance Office. One detention will be assigned for every third tardiness thereafter. The administrator may also assign loss of privileges for excessive tardiness.  These privileges include driving to school, early release, unstructured time and co-curricular activities.

In the case of unique or extenuating circumstances, administrators may use their discretion in determining appropriate consequences for students being late to school.

Dismissals during the school day

Dismissals will be restricted to only those reasons designated in Education Law as legal absences.  A parent requesting a student's early dismissal from school should provide his/her son or daughter with a written excuse on that day noting the time and reason for the dismissal.  Students should bring excuses to the attendance office prior to homeroom.  

If a note is not presented to the Attendance Office by a student, a parent/guardian must present the note to the Attendance Office and sign his/her child out of the building.

If a student needs to be released from school due to illness, he or she must be signed out of the Nurse's Office by a parent or guardian.  The Attendance Office cannot release a student due to illness.

Truancy

Students are expected to attend school daily.  Absence from school without parental knowledge and/or permission is considered truancy.  First and subsequent offenses will result in Saturday detention, notification to the Attendance Office and a grade of zero for all class assignments missed.  Chronic truancies may be referred to the Town of Manlius Youth Officer.

Attendance-related infractions, including tardiness to school, class cuts, and truancy and leaving school without permission, will result in appropriate disciplinary action plus suspension of the student’s parking privileges.

Administrators may use their discretion when deciding consequences or subsequent attendance-related infractions.