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Attendance

Regular attendance is a value and standard that prepares students for the world of work and adult responsibilities.  OEHS expects all students to attend school and to be on time.  The school day begins at 7:20 am and ends at 2:26 pm.  The school district operates under the authority, policies and laws set forth in the School Code of the State of Illinois.  Students are encouraged to have punctual and regular school attendance in order to obtain maximum benefit from his/her educational experience.

In the case of an absence, please report the absence to the Attendance office by using the procedure below.

How to Report an Absence

EACH day a student is absent from school, a PARENT (or legal guardian) should call the attendance office (630-636-2201) no later than 10:00 am to report the absence.  They will be asked to provide the student’s name, ID number, and a reason for the absence.   In the event a phone call cannot be made during school hours, a voicemail system is available for parents to provide the necessary information.  If a call has not been received by 10:00 am, a call will be made home requesting a return call to verify the absence.  Failure to call the school within a 24-hour period will result in a student receiving an unexcused absence and the student will be referred to their dean for consequences. Messages can also be left in Spanish as OEHS has bilingual staff who can translate the message.

Unexcused vs. Excused Absence/Tardy

An absence or tardy that is considered a valid cause, that is reported to the attendance office within 24-hours by the student’s parent/guardian, will be excused.  Valid cause is defined by the Illinois State Code as: “illness, death in the immediate family, family emergency, observance of a religious holiday and shall include such other situations beyond the control of the student as determined by the school administration, or such other circumstances which cause concern to the parent/guardian for the safety or health of the student.”

An absence or tardy that is not considered a valid cause, regardless of parent notification, will be marked as an unexcused absence.  Unexcused absences and tardiness include, but are not limited to: class cutting, working, missing the bus, oversleeping, shopping, car trouble, personal appointments (ie senior pictures), “skip” days, family vacations, obtaining a driver’s permit or license and other avoidable absences.

When a student is absent, it is their responsibility to make up all homework and class assignments that are missed because of their absence.  The “Day-for-a-Day” rule applies to absent work for excused absences. 

Tardiness to School

Any time your student will be arriving late to OEHS, please call the attendance office to report the tardy and the reason for the tardy.  This will help expedite the process and reduce the amount of class time missed.  You do not need to come into the building if you call.  Even though you call, the tardy may or may not be excused (see p. 40-43 of the student planner for attendance).  For example, students who oversleep, have alarm issues or miss their bus are not excused even if a parent calls.  The intent of the policy is to help promote responsibility of being to school on time and therefore maximizing instructional time. Below is a summary of the district policy for both high schools and the consequences. The tardies will reset for the second semester.

If a student arrives by 7:25 and is not excused, the student is considered late to school.  The first time is a warning, the second and third times are each 55-minute detentions, and the fourth and fifth times are each extended day or Saturday detentions.

If a student arrives after 7:26 and is not excused, it is considered an unexcused absence to a class.  If a student is not excused, the first and second times are each extended day or Saturday detentions.  The consequence for the third time not excused is one day in the In-School-Intervention room.

Tardiness to Class

Oswego East implemented new procedures for when students are tardy to classes this year. This has resulted in nearly a 50% reduction of tardies for this school year compared to last year. This is incredible news when you consider that each passing period was shortened by one minute this year! When the bell rings, teachers close their doors and begin class. Students who arrive without a pass are directed to get a tardy pass in one of two locations. Student should carry and show their ID in case the staff member issuing tardy passes does not recognize the student. The tardy pass allows the students into class and the office records the tardies. Tardies are counted cumulatively for all periods. There are no consequences for the first three tardies. Most students receive notification when they receive their third tardy informing them that the next tardy will result in consequences. Tardies four through six each receive 55-minute detentions. Tardies seven through nine each receive extended day or Saturday detentions. Tardies ten and eleven each earn one day in the In-School-Intervention room. Any tardies beyond the eleventh tardy are left to administrator discretion for determination of consequences.