Services
The Student Services Office distributes unofficial transcripts and working papers to students and will collect homework upon request for students who are ill and absent from school for more than three days. There is a 24-hour turn-around time for homework collection.
Working Papers
There are two forms required for students to obtain working papers and they are each available in the Student Services Office.
- Application for employment
- Physical fitness certificate
Students living within the district but not attending F-M High School must provide either proof of birth, a driver’s license or passport.
All applicants for working papers must show proof of a physical within one year. If the applicant is an F-M student, the Student Services Office can verify the date of a student’s last physical.
Part I of the application must be completed and must include the applicant’s social security number, parent signature and the top part of the physical fitness certificate.
Applicants for working papers must return the completed forms to the Student Services Office. Applicants will then receive the appropriate card (blue for students ages 14 and 15; green for students ages 16 and 17) to sign.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES
In accordance with New York State law, children must attend school from September of the year in which they become six through June of the year in which they attain the age of 16 years. All students are expected to be in attendance whenever school is in session.
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 is an accompanying obligation for each student to accept responsibility for their 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, guardians, teachers, and administrators. The following guidelines have been established in conjunction with regulations set forth by the New York State Education Department.
Attendance-related infractions, including tardiness to school, class cuts, truancy, and leaving school without permission, will result in appropriate disciplinary action which may include suspension of the student’s parking privileges.
Absences Ι Tardy to School Ι Dismissals During the School Day Ι Truancy Ι Family Vacations
Absences
On the day of an absence, a parent or guardian should call the high school Student Services Office at 315-692-1805 between 6 and 9 a.m or send an email to studentservices@fmschools.org. Please note, between 6 and 7:30 a.m. a message can be left on their voicemail. Failure to notify the school will result in an automated call to the parent/guardian during the school day at home or office.
Time Limit for Bringing in Excuses for Absences
Students are expected to bring in written excuses for any absence(s) on the day they return to school. If no written excuse is received, the absence will be recorded as unexcused.
Excused absences, as defined by the district Attendance Policy, include:
- 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; and
- Endorsed by Administrator.
Tardy to School
A student must report to the Safety and Security Office in House I’s main foyer to:
- Sign in immediately when arriving any time during the school day after
7:45 a.m. - Turn in an excuse for a previous absence upon their return to school.
A student must report to the Student Services Office (House I) to:
- Submit a written parent/guardian request to receive a pass for early dismissal (this should be done prior to first period); or
- Contact a parent/guardian for dismissal during the school day.
- Parents may also email Student Services at studentservices@fmschools.org with an early dismissal letter.
Students arriving late to school must have a note from a parent/guardian to be considered excused. Students without a note will be considered unexcused.
The only acceptable reasons for being late to school are:
- illness,
- a scheduled health-related appointment,
- required court appearances, or
- an extreme emergency.
Excessive tardies may require written verification from a physician, health care provider, dentist, social service agency, court, or college.
In absence of such written official verification, student lateness may be considered unexcused.
Parents/Guardians who allow children to be excessively tardy without a verifiable explanation can be charged with educational neglect.
Families are encouraged to schedule any appointments outside of the school day so students do not miss instructional time.
- All students must be in their first period class by 7:45 a.m.
- Students who arrive to first period after 7:45 a.m. are considered tardy.
- Students arriving after 7:45 a.m. must sign in at the Safety and Security Office upon arrival.
- Notes for all tardies and absences must be turned in to the Safety and Security Office.
- Failure to sign in immediately at the Safety and Security Office when arriving late to school will result in a detention the first time and a 5 p.m. detention for subsequent times.
- Students who are late three times in a 10-week marking period will be issued a warning.
- The fourth late in a marking period will result in the assignment of an after-school detention. 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.
Notes for all tardies must be turned in to the Safety and Security Office in the Foyer Entrance on the day the student is late or emailed to studentservices@fmschools.org.
Failure to submit a note will result in the prescribed disciplinary consequence(s) as listed below:
- Third unexcused tardy – warning issued, parent/guardian contacted by school personnel.
- Fourth through sixth unexcused tardies – one (1) detention assigned for each tardy (i.e. one for the fourth tardy, one for the fifth tardy and one for the sixth tardy), parent/guardian notified via mail.
- Seventh through ninth unexcused tardies – two (2) detentions assigned for each tardy (i.e. two for the seventh tardy, two for the eighth tardy and two for the ninth tardy), parent/guardian notified.
- Tenth unexcused tardy – student referred to administrator, 5 p.m. detention assigned, parent/guardian contacted by administrator.
- Eleven or more unexcused tardies – 5 p.m. detention and/or in-school suspension assigned, parent/guardian contacted by administrator. One or more of the following may also occur:
- Loss of driving privileges
- Loss of senior privileges
- Loss of unstructured time and/or extra-/co-curricular activities.
*Failure to sign in immediately at the Safety and Security Office in the House I main foyer when arriving late to school may result in detention(s) and/or 5 p.m. detention(s).
In the case of unique or extenuating circumstances, or chronic tardiness, 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 excused absences. A parent/guardian requesting a student’s early dismissal from school should provide their student with a written excuse or send an email to studentservices@fmschools.org on that day noting the time and reason for the dismissal. Please use the absentee form that is located on the Attendance Policy page of the high school website. Students should bring excuses to the Student Services Office in House I prior to first period. If a student forgets a note but must leave during the school day, a parent/guardian must contact the school and either fax or email a signed note or come to the Safety and Security Office in the foyer entrance to sign them out.
Truancy
Truancy is the unlawful absence or irregular attendance upon instruction by a student of compulsory education age. All students are expected to be present and on time throughout the school year. First and subsequent offenses will result in in-school suspension, recording of the absence as truant, and a grade of zero for all class assignments missed.
Family Vacations
Occasionally parents/guardians remove their children from school for family vacations. This is not considered an excused absence. It is important to remember that it is not possible for a teacher to replicate class experiences a student misses. Teachers will do their best to assist students who were absent, but they must balance this task with their normal teaching responsibilities. Studies show that regular attendance leads to success in school.