Please contact the Attendance Secretary regarding absences:
attendance@hardingfinearts.org -or- (405) 213-1224
HFAA Attendance Policy
Excessive student absences are the most identified factor affecting school failure and drop outs. At HFAA, we are very concerned that our students and parents realize the importance of consistent and prompt attendance. State law requires that a student be dropped from our rolls if he/she has been absent unexcused for ten consecutive days, but beyond that it is up to the individual districts to determine their attendance policy.
A) If a student has more than ten absences per semester, excused and/or unexcused, the student will not receive credit for the class, whether or not the student has a passing grade.
B) Any student who has been absent for three days or more due to illness must have a doctor’s note in order for the absence to be excused.
C) If a student is absent 4 or more days or parts of days within a 4 week period or 10 or more days or parts of days within a semester, the parents will be notified and a report will be filed with the Oklahoma County District Attorney, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Transportation to revoke the student’s drivers license where applicable. (As an Oklahoma City Public Charter School this occurs automatically. The
Oklahoma County District Attorney regularly accesses OKCPS attendance records and takes actions based upon their investigation. Once a parent receives a letter from the DA, they will need to address truancy directly with the office of the District Attorney. Resolution with the DA does not automatically grant credit for a class where the student has more than ten (10) absences.)
D) School sponsored absences are not counted as part of the total absences allowed for a semester.
E) Decisions regarding dismissal or failure to receive credit due to absences may be appealed to the Board Committee on Absences. Notification of the desire to appeal must be made in writing to Dr. Rowan .
Appeals Procedure for Excessive Absences No Credit:
The Harding Fine Arts Academy Board of Directors has enacted an attendance policy whereby a student does not receive credit for any course in which he or she has accrued more than ten (10) absences, excused or unexcused, per semester. This does not include activity absences or senior college visit days.
In the event a student has missed more than ten days of class and has still maintained a passing grade in the class, the parent/guardian may petition the Academic Advisory Committee of the HFAA Board of Directors to receive credit for the class. The petition must take the form of a letter addressed to the Committee in which a detailed explanation and justification of the absences is provided along with supporting documents such as doctors’ notes, etc.
The Academic Advisory Committee will meet at the end of each semester to consider all requests. All letters and documents must be submitted to the Committee no later than two weeks before the end of the semester in order to be considered.
The petitioner will be notified in writing of the Committee’s decision within two weeks of the committee meeting.