AHS Guidelines
- Attendance/Excuse Notes
- Tardy Procedures
- Attendance Policy
- Absences for Non-School Sponsored Extracurricular Activities
- Check In & Check Out
- Code of Honor
- Student Handbook
- Compulsory Attendance Requests (Learner's Permit)
Attendance/Excuse Notes
Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, students have 5 days, upon returning from an absence, to upload or submit an absence excuse note.
Students and parents must submit absent excuse notes via the AHS Attendance Note form found below. Teachers do not accept excuse notes, and the Attendance Office does not need the hard copy of the note because it is submitted digitally via the form below.
Please allow the attendance office ample time to update the attendance record.
AHS Attendance Note Form Details
- The excuse note submission form requires students/parents to answer basic questions about the absence and requires that they upload a copy (picture, pdf, Word document) of their excuse note as an attachment.
- Only submit one form per absence or consecutive absences. The form will allow only one attachment per submission. If the excuse note is multiple pages, it must be combined into one file for upload. Students/parents should use a camera to take a picture to digitize their excuse note.
- Once the student/parent submits the form, they will receive a message that the form was successfully submitted.
- If the attendance office has an issue with the form or the excuse, they will contact the student.
Directions for Submitting Attendance Notes
1. Click here to access the AHS Attendance Note Submission Form.
2. Complete all form fields.
3. Upload your attendance note.
4. Submit the form.
Tardy Procedures
Tardy Guidelines
Tardy to Any Class
If a student arrives at school between 7:00 and 7:10, the student will go directly to the first class of the day. In order to have the tardy excused, he/she must provide a note from a parent or doctor. If a student arrives at school after 7:10, the student will check in through the attendance office and come to class with the yellow (unexcused) or blue (excused) slip.
Tardy will be notated in PowerSchool for any tardy whether excused or unexcused.
Excused approved tardies include:
- Personal illness
- Serious Illness of a Family Member
- Death in the Family
- Traffic Accident/Car Trouble
If you are unsure about a tardy being excused or unexcused, you may send the student to the attendance office.
Tardy discipline starts over every nine weeks.
Tardy Consequences
5th Tardy - 1 Day ISS with parent contact
10th Tardy - 2 Days ISS with parent contact
15th Tardy - 3 Days ISS with parent contact
Subsequent Tardies - Lvl 3 Offense w/parent contact
**For all unexcused tardies for all class periods, including unexcused check-ins to school
Tardy discipline starts over every nine weeks.
Attendance Policy
All absentee notes are required to be uploaded/turned in within 5 days of the student returning to school after the absence. No exceptions.
Per ACS Board Policy 6.200, a doctor’s note will be required to justify absences after the accumulation of ten (10) days of absences during the school year. Notes must be date specific and will be required for subsequent absences beyond ten (10) days. A letter will be mailed once the student misses ten (10) days. After an accumulation of ten (10) check-ins or check outs during a school year, physician verification will be required to justify the absence from school. Any accumulation of absences, check-ins, or check-outs beyond ten (10) without physician verification will be unexcused.
Unexcused Absences
If a student has 5 or more unexcused absences, they are considered truant and warning notices will be mailed to the parents. Students with more than 5 unexcused absences will not be allowed to make-up ANY missed assignments for future unexcused absences, per ACS Board Policy 6.200.
Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, oversleeping, missing the bus or ride, shopping, vacations, “out of town” (unless school-related or previously approved), etc.
Absences for Non-School Sponsored Extracurricular Activities
Requests for excused absences for non-AHS extracurricular activities (e.g., club sports, club cheer/dance, etc.) require a written request be submitted no later than seven (7) days prior to the student's absence, per ACS Board Policy 6.200.
Request notes may be uploaded using the AHS Attendance Notes Form (click here) and must include: the student's name, grade, date(s) of absence, reason for absence, proof of participation in the non-school sponsored activity and both student and parent signatures.
All absences must also be verified in writing by the parent within two (2) days of the student's return to school.
Students are responsible for completing any work missed during their absence.
Check In & Check Out
Check In Procedures
Before 7:10
Students will go to the 1st class period of the day and check in with the teacher.
After 7:10
Students will check into school through the attendance office.
All students may sign themselves in school.
Tardy to Any Class
If a student arrives at school between 7:00 and 7:10, the student will go directly to the first class of the day. In order to have the tardy excused, he/she must provide a note from a parent or doctor. If a student arrives at school after 7:10, the student will check in through the attendance office and come to class with the yellow (unexcused) or blue (excused) slip.
Tardy will be notated in PowerSchool for any tardy whether excused or unexcused.
Excused approved tardies include:
- Personal illness
- Serious Illness of a Family Member
- Death in the Family
- Traffic Accident/Car Trouble
If you are unsure about a tardy being excused or unexcused, you may send the student to the attendance office.
Tardy discipline starts over every nine weeks.
Tardy Consequences
5th Tardy - 1 Day ISS with parent contact
10th Tardy - 2 Days ISS with parent contact
15th Tardy - 3 Days ISS with parent contact
Subsequent Tardies - Lvl 3 Offense w/parent contact
**For all unexcused tardies for all class periods, including unexcused check-ins to school
Tardy discipline starts over every nine weeks.
Check Out Procedures
There are NO checkouts after 1:30.
11th and 12th grade students may check themselves out with a parent note that is provided to the attendance office before 7:00am. The attendance office MUST speak with the parent before 7:00am in order for the student to be able to checkout. If we are not able to verify the note before 7:00am, the student cannot check themselves out. NO faxes, phone calls or emails will be accepted.
If any student checks out who is on the Doctor’s Note List, a doctor’s note is required for the absence to be excused.
Code of Honor
Student Handbook
Compulsory Attendance Requests (Learner's Permit)
It is a requirement in the State of Tennessee to show proof of attendance in order to receive a Tennessee Learner’s Permit. Students may request a form Monday - Thursday by signing up on the clipboard in the Attendance Office. AHS will generate the form, and it will be available for pick up Friday after 12pm. Forms are valid for 30 days. Please plan ahead, as the Attendance Office will not accept same-day requests.
Summer Only (June & July)
During the summer, all Compulsory Attendance Requests for learner's permits should be made to ACS District Office by emailing registrationhelp@acsk-12.org.