College Campuses
Preparing for college can feel like a big undertaking. Luckily there are many websites out there that can help you with your search. The following links will help you find a college for you. College search engines allow you to search for colleges based on your interest, location, as well as your financial situation.
Campus Safety -- How safe is your prospective college campus?
College Net -- Over 1500 colleges linked. Narrow searches by region, tuition, major, private/public, etc.
College View -- One of the most detailed search engines on the Net. Excellent FAQ Section under the college search section.
Petersons -- Campus news, College search engine, test prep, financial aid. Identify college by locaiton, major, tuition, size, average GPA and sports.
Princeton Review -- Under the heading of "Research" explore majors, complete a unique college search, and read the latest "best" colleges as determined by the Princeton Review.
Calling In For Students
Anytime a student is absent from school the parent of guardian must call the school with a reason for the absence. Ms. Lisle is the Attendance Office secretary and her number is (972)882-6786. Parents must tell the reason for the absence, give the student’s name, and grade. All absences are considered unexcused if we do not receive a call and students are not permitted to make up the work. Parent notes will not be accepted. Each student is allowed 3 parent call-ins a semester to be excused. After the third call in, proper documentation must be submitted to the attendance office in order for the additional absences to become excused.
Excused Absences
Absences are excused if a student attends a doctor/dentist appointment or court date and can provide documentation upon return. Students who are home ill are excused if the parent calls in for them on the day of the absence. Only three calls will be excused per semester. We excuse absences for students to attend funerals of family members with funeral documentation (Funeral program/letter). Two college days, with a letter from the college, are excused for junior and senior students.
Unexcused Absences
Going out of town, interviewing for a job, taking the driving test, visiting family, running errands, babysitting, taking vacations, or other “personal” reasons are not considered excused absences; and students will not be permitted to make up assignments missed. Our expectation is that our students will be present every day that school is in session. Still, certain situations arise which require students to miss school. We ask that parents work with Mrs. Carpenter, the assistant principal over attendance, to keep those situations to a minimum. Please make every effort to schedule personal business appointments outside the school day.
Missing school for a doctor/dentist appointment
According to the State of Texas, a student who is in attendance for a portion of the school day, and then attends a medical appointment will be counted present if the student submits a dated doctor’s note upon his or her return. This allows students to maintain their semester exam exemptions in the classes they missed. The absence is marked “unexcused” until a doctor note is presented. Note that “unexcused” absences prevent students from completing any make-up work from the class(es) missed. Unexcused absences that accumulate could result in a complaint being filed with the court for truancy. Also, forgery or tampering of doctor/dental notes is a crime and will be prosecuted if discovered.
Arriving Late Or Leaving Early
When situations do arise where students miss a portion of the school day, it is essential that they sign in or out. This is the school’s documentation of their whereabouts when they are not in school. Students that arrive to school after 8:50 a.m. will need to sign in with Mrs. Mullins at the front of the building. Students that need to leave early will also sign out with Mrs. Mullins. Students who leave early or arrive late without signing in or out will be marked “unexcused” from the classes missed. We ask that parents or guardians call the school in the morning if a student will be late to school that day due to illness or other extenuating circumstances.
What do I do if my child gets sick at school?
We do not excuse absences for students who leave school early for reasons other than their own medical needs. If a student feels ill and needs to go home, he or she must first go to the clinic. Our school nurse will make parent contact and release the student from school. Students should never leave of their own accord during the school day without receiving parental permission and signing out. To do so will result in an unexcused absence being recorded and an appropriate disciplinary measure being assessed. Students will not be released early after 3:30; they will wait until regular release time.
Truancy Laws
According to the State of Texas, children between the ages of six and eighteen are required to attend school each day for the entire period that the school’s program of instruction is provided. If a student is eighteen or older and they are enrolled in school, they are held accountable for their attendance under Texas law. Students who accumulate ten or more unexcused absences in a class in a six-month period, or three or more unexcused absences within a four-week period are considered truant by the State of Texas. When this occurs, it is the legal responsibility of the school district to file a complaint with the proper court against both the parent or guardian and the student (Class C Misdemeanor).
