Attendance
Please email our attendance officer with any questions or concerns regarding student attendance.
School Hours: Supervision of students begins at 7:00 a.m. Students are counted tardy after 7:30 a.m. The dismissal process begins at 2:40.
Attendance: Buford City Schools requires students to be in attendance in accordance with requirements of the compulsory attendance law. Please see the Buford City Board Policy for Attendance in the BCSS section of our agenda.
Tardies: Students who arrive at school after the 7:30 a.m. bell must report to the main office with their parent or guardian for an admission slip. Our Unexcused Tardies Violations & Consequences can be found here.
Excused Tardies/Absences: Excused tardies or absences include student illness, serious illness or death in the immediate family, court order, observing religious holidays (documentation may be requested), Page at the General Assembly, and military leave. See the Buford City Schools System attendance policy below for more details.
Buford City School System Attendance Protocol
A. Parents/guardians and students (ages 10 and older by September 1) are required to sign a compulsory attendance law letter within 30 days of enrollment. This letter includes a written summary of possible consequences and penalties for failing to comply with compulsory attendance laws.
A. Parents/guardians and students (ages 10 and older by September 1) are required to sign a compulsory attendance law letter within 30 days of enrollment. This letter includes a written summary of possible consequences and penalties for failing to comply with compulsory attendance laws.
B. School personnel will attempt to contact parents/guardians each time a child has an absence. All contacts are documented.
C. School personnel will attempt to contact the parent/guardian when the student has 5 unexcused absences. After two reasonable attempts to notify the parent/guardian without response, a letter will be mailed. All contacts are documented.
D. School personnel will notify the parent/guardian of students when the student has 7 unexcused absences via a letter to the student’s home address. The letter outlines the consequences of unexcused absences and informs the parent/guardian that if the student reaches 10 unexcused absences, the school will make a report to the state. All contacts are documented.
E. Any student with 7 unexcused absences will be referred to appropriate school personnel who will meet with the student and/or contact the parent to encourage better attendance and offer support.
F. When such student has 10 unexcused absences, the school will send a letter to notify the parent/guardian. This letter shall outline the consequences, indicating the student’s non-compliance with the GA Compulsory Attendance Law. The letter shall advise parent/guardian of the referral to the Student Attendance Referral Committee (SARC). Students with 10 or more unexcused absences are ineligible for driving privileges for one year or until he or she reaches the age of 18.
G. The school social worker may send a letter to the parent/guardian, contact the parent/guardian via telephone, or may visit the home directly to encourage better attendance and offer support. The school social worker may advise parent/guardian of the referral to the Student Attendance Referral Committee (SARC).
H. By September 1 of each school year, the school social worker will send a second letter to the parents/guardians of those students who had 15 or more absences during the previous school year referencing the importance of good attendance and offering support.
Buford City School System Extra-Curricular Participation
Students must be in attendance at least half the school day to be counted present. Students must be counted present during the school day in order to participate in extra-curricular activities.
Students must be in attendance at least half the school day to be counted present. Students must be counted present during the school day in order to participate in extra-curricular activities.