OJAI : Attendance Policy Changes Considered
Proposed revisions to Nordhoff High School’s attendance policy would limit students to four unexcused absences per semester before failing grades would be issued, Principal Ron Barney said Wednesday.
The new attendance policy--drafted earlier this year by a committee of parents, students and faculty members--was presented for a first reading Tuesday at the Ojai Unified School District’s board meeting.
If approved when it is considered later this month, the new attendance policy would strike down rules now in place that grant teachers the right to lower students’ grades incrementally after 7 and 13 absences, whether excused or not, and mandate failing grades after 15 absences, Barney said.
Earlier this year, Nordhoff students demonstrated against the attendance policy, after which several parents asked the Board of Education to mandate a policy review.
“A number of parents thought the other policy was not being equitably enforced, and it also created problems when long-term illnesses occurred,” Barney said.
The new policy, which will be presented again at the June 29 board meeting, adequately addresses these concerns, Supt. Andrew C. Smidt said.
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