Updated September 24, 2024

FMHS Attendance Procedures

ABSENCES

• If a student is absent for illness or another unplanned reason, please contact your student’s attendance clerk by phone or email (from the email address we have on file) to notify the school of the absence.
• Students should turn in a signed parent/guardian note or valid documentation from a healthcare visit, court appearance, college visit, religious holy day, etc. to their attendance suite immediately upon returning to school and before resuming classes. For your convenience, notes may be faxed to 972-350-9243.
• Absence notes must be received within 3 school days to avoid unexcused absences and disciplinary consequences for truancy.

The district will accept parent notes to excuse an illness or personal absence for no more than 10 full or partial day absences during the school year. Any additional absences will require a note from a health care provider or documentation of an absence exempt from compulsory attendance, to be considered excused.

• 24 Hour Policy for Fever or Diarrhea- Students with a fever over 100 degrees or diarrheal illnesses must stay home until they are symptom free without the aid of medications for at least 24 hours. Please contact the school nurse or visit the Health Services website (https://www.lisd.net/Page/1775) for more information.
• Medical notes- Original medical notes must be provided for all day and partial day healthcare visits. Notes from a medical professional must include a return date (open ended notes are not acceptable).
• Homework requests- Please communicate directly with teachers for missed schoolwork requests.

• Students arriving to school after 8:20am are required to sign in with their attendance clerk. Failure to sign in and confirm arrival time, may result in an all-day absence and disciplinary consequences.
• Students arriving to school in the first 20 minutes of a class period are considered tardy. Students arriving after 20 minutes into a class period are considered absent. Due to TEA funding requirements, students signing in at 10:06am or after for 2nd period will be considered absent.

EARLY RELEASE/APPOINTMENTS

• Students needing to leave school early for an appointment or other reasons, should turn in a signed parent/guardian note to their attendance clerk before school on the morning of early release. An Off-Campus pass will be given to the student at that time. Parent/Guardian emails (from the email address we have on file) may also be accepted on the morning of early release. Please allow 2 hours for possible system holdups. Please include the following on notes and emails:
• Legal name of student
• Student ID number
• Time leaving (please do not put ‘at lunch/after X period’)
• Reason for leaving

PLAN AHEAD TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS ON TIME!

• Students without a parent/guardian note or email, or needing to leave unexpectedly, must be checked out by a parent/guardian (ID required) in the FMHS front office. Please allow extra time to locate students and follow sign out procedures.
• Students must have an off-campus pass and sign out with their attendance clerk when leaving school early. Failure to follow attendance procedures will result in disciplinary consequences.

SICK AT SCHOOL

If a student becomes ill at school, they should be seen by the school nurse. The nurse will contact a parent/guardian if the student needs to be released early due to illness. Please advise your student to fill out the appropriate form via QR codes posted around campus. Our campus nurse will process the request. 

COLLEGE VISITS (Juniors & Seniors only)

• Students are granted two days per school year for ‘official’ college visits. Please contact your student’s attendance clerk prior to a planned visit.
• A school absence may be coded as an ‘official’ visit if the student’s turn-in a letter from the college within 3 school days. Official letters must be issued during or following a college tour and include the school’s letterhead/official seal, the student’s first and last names and date(s) of the visit. An email confirmation of the tour/visit is not an official college visit letter.

TEXAS COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE LAW (90% Rule)

Texas Compulsory Attendance Law states, in part, “a student may not be given credit for a class unless the student is in attendance for at least 90% of the days the class is offered.”

• Students may miss no more than five school days per nine weeks to comply with this law. Credit will be denied in each class for which there are 6 or more absences in a nine-week grading period.
• Both excused (parent note for illness, doctor note all day, etc.) and unexcused absences are calculated in the 90% rule and included in the five-day limit. There are some exceptions: official college visits for Juniors & Seniors, medical notes for partial day absences, mandatory court appearance, etc.
• Attendance clerks must receive school absence documentation within 3 school days.

VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT (VOE)

Documentation required by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for student’s applying for a learner’s license and/or license to operate a motor vehicle.

• Currently enrolled FMHS students can pick up a VOE form from their attendance clerk.
• Students must meet the following requirements to receive a VOE form-
• Minimum attendance for class credit (90% Rule)
• Receive credit for ALL courses taken in the previous semester, OR,
• Complied with the conditions established by the school to receive a VOE

NOTICE: Attendance Clerk alphas have changed as of September 25, 2024.

For attendance questions, please contact your student’s attendance clerk.

Please refer to the Student Handbook for a complete list of attendance rules and guidelines.