Policy 2310 Student Attendance

The Board of Education believes that regular attendance is essential to achieving success in school.  Education is a total process based upon continual communication and shared responsibilities among parents, students, teachers and school.  As students mature and progress through the educational system, they should increasingly assume responsibility for regular attendance.  However, parents have a legal and moral responsibility to require regular attendance at school.

The Board of Education adopts handbooks with information related to attendance for each attendance center.  Please see these handbooks for details on attendance policies, regulations and procedures.

Policy 2311 Student Attendance Excused Absences

In accordance with Missouri state law, the District recognizes that the Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), 4-H programs, and organized competitions held as part of the Missouri state fair involve important education and learning processes and are beneficial to District students.  Due to the nature of these organizations, students will occasionally need to miss school time in order to fully participate and benefit from the programs sponsored by these organizations.  Accordingly, students who miss school time during the regular school day due to participation in officially sanctioned activities of the Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), 4-H, and competitions held as part of the Missouri state fair, shall receive an excused absence and shall be considered to be attending regularly scheduled instruction during such times of absence. Up to 10 days of school days for participation in such activities will be excused by the District per school year for each student.  If a leader of one of the above referenced organizations or the parent of a student participating in the Missouri state fair anticipates that a student will miss school time due to participation in an activity for such organization, the leader/parent shall let the building principal know with as much notice as possible prior to the event and receive his/her approval of the activity and for missed school time.  Time missed by students participating in an activity of such programs shall be included in the district's calculation of average daily attendance as defined by Missouri law.  Students who miss school time due to participation in an approved activity as set forth in this policy, will be expected to make up all school work missed during their absence. 

Policy 2320 Part-Time Attendance

Students may attend District schools on a part-time basis as provided by state law.  The hours of attendance need to be consecutive.  A cooperative plan shall be arrived at by the student, parent/guardian, and the school to ensure graduation requirements will be met.  A student is encouraged to enroll in added coursework above the minimum graduation requirements.

Policy 2340 Truancy and Educational Neglect

The Board of Education believes regular attendance is important to academic success.  Therefore, the Board directs that problems with attendance on the part of any student be investigated and acted upon promptly.

Truancy is defined as deliberate absence from school on the part of the pupil with or without the knowledge of the parent/guardian and for which no justifiable excuse is given.  When a pattern of truancy becomes evident, the principal will investigate and take such action as circumstances dictate.

Section 210.115 R.S.Mo. mandates reporting to the Division of Family Services when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a student's non-attendance is due to the educational neglect of the parents/guardians.

Any school official or employee who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a student is being subjected to home conditions or circumstances which would reasonably result in truancy will immediately report or cause a report to be made to the building principal, or his/her designee, who will then become responsible for making a report via the Student Abuse Hotline to the Missouri Division of Family Services (DFS) and/or the juvenile authorities.  The building principal shall inform the Superintendent/designee that a report has been made, and keep the Superintendent apprised of the status of the case.  Reporting to the Superintendent may be made as an attendance log.

Policy 2655 Discipline - Bullying

The District is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment free of any form of bullying or intimidation.  Bullying is strictly prohibited on school grounds, or school time, at a school sponsored activity or in a school related context.  Bullying is the intentional action by an individual or group of individuals to inflict intimidation, unwanted aggressive behavior, or harassment that is repetitive or is substantially likely to be repeated and causes a reasonable student to fear for his or her physical safety or property; substantially interferes with the educational performance, opportunities, or benefits of any student without exception; or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school. Bullying may consist of physical actions, including gestures, or oral, cyber-bullying, electronic, or written communication, and any threat of retaliation for reporting acts of bullying.  

Cyberbullying means bullying as defined above through the transmission of a communication including, but not limited to, a message, text, sound, or image by means of an electronic device including, but not limited to, a telephone, wireless telephone, or other wireless communication device, computer, or pager  Students are encouraged to report any incident of bullying which they have witnessed or incurred, by contacting their building principal. District employees are required to report any instance of bullying of which the employee has witnessed within two (2) school days of the occurrence. Employees shall report the occurrence to the building principal, who is the person the District designates to receive reports of incidents of bullying.  A principal who receives a report of an incident of bullying shall initiate an investigation into the allegations within two (2) school days of receipt of the report.  The principal may assign other employees to assist in the investigation, or request that the superintendent assign an outside investigator. The investigation shall be completed within ten school days from the date of the written report of bullying unless good cause exists to extend the investigation. No employee or student who reports an act of bullying shall be subject to reprisal or retaliation for making such a report. Any person who engages in reprisal or retaliation against an employee or student who reports an act of bullying shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Students who are found to have violated this policy will be subject to consequences depending on factors such as: age of student(s), degree of harm, severity of behavior, number of incidences, etc.  Possible consequences to a student for a violation of this policy include: loss of privileges, classroom detention, conference with teacher, parents contacted, conference with principal, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, expulsion, and law enforcement contacted.

The District shall give annual notice of the policy to students, parents or guardians, and staff.  This policy shall be included in all student handbooks.  This policy shall also be posted on the District's web page (as a Board policy) and a copy shall be placed in the District Administrative Office. 

The District shall provide information and appropriate training to District staff who have significant contact with students regarding the policy. All staff with significant student contact shall be trained on the requirements of this policy on an annual basis.  

The District shall provide education and information to students regarding bullying, including information regarding this policy prohibiting bullying, the harmful effects of bullying, and other applicable initiatives to address bullying, including student peer-to-peer initiatives to provide accountability and policy enforcement for those found to have engaged in bullying, reprisal, or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying. The District shall instruct its school counselors, school social workers, licensed social workers, mental health professionals, and school psychologists to educate students who are victims of bullying on techniques for students to overcome bullying's negative effects. Such techniques include but are not limited to, cultivating the student's self-worth and self-esteem; teaching the student to defend himself or herself assertively and effectively, helping the student develop social skills or encouraging the student to develop an internal focus of control.  District administrators will implement programs and other initiatives to address bullying, to respond to such conduct in a manner that does not stigmatize the victim, and to make resources or referrals available to victims of bullying. 

Policy 2785 Student Welfare – Student Suicide Awareness

The district will address suicide awareness and prevention through the following policy components:

1.  Crisis response team
2. Crisis response procedures
3. Procedures for parent involvement
4. Community resources available to students, parents, patrons and employees
5. Responding to suicidal behavior or death by suicide in the school community
6. Suicide prevention and response protocol education for staff
7. Suicide prevention education for students
8. Publication of policy
9. Professional Development
10. Student Identification Cards

1.  Crisis Response Team

The district will include suicide awareness and prevention in already established district or building crisis response teams or will establish such team(s) if not already in existence. Crisis response team members will include administrators, counselors and the school nurse, and may also include school social workers, school resource officers, teachers and/or community resources as appropriate. The crisis response team will be responsible for implementation of crisis response procedures.

The district will adopt an evidence based/informed tool for assessing suicide risk. The crisis response team, the building administrator, or his/her designee will receive training and coaching in using this tool to collect and document student suicidal behaviors and safety planning strategies.

2.  Crisis Response Procedures

Student suicidal behaviors are not confidential and may be revealed to the student s parents, guardians, school personnel or other appropriate authority when the health, welfare or safety of the student is at risk.

Any school employee who has a reasonable belief that a student may be at risk for suicide or witnesses any attempt towards self-injury will notify a member of the crisis response team, the building administrator or his/her designee.

If a student suicide behavior is made known to any school employee and a member of the crisis response team, the building administrator or his/her designee is not available, the employee will notify the student s parent/guardian, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) or local law enforcement in an emergency situation. As soon as practical, the employee will notify the building designee or principal.

The following steps will be employed in response to any risk of student suicide:

(See attached file below)

3.  Procedures for Parent Involvement

A member of the crisis response team, the building administrator or his/her designee shall reach out to the parents/guardians of a student identified as being at risk of suicide to consult with them about the risk assessment of their student, to make them aware of community resources, and to discuss how to best support the student s mental well-being and safety.

If the parent refuses to cooperate or if there is any doubt regarding the student s safety, local mental service providers and/or law enforcement may need to be engaged, and a report may need to be made to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline.

Contact with a parent concerning risk of suicide will be documented in writing.

4.  School and Community Resources

A student exhibiting suicidal behavior will be directed to meet with the building designee, their parent/guardian and counselor to discuss support and safety systems, available resources, coping skills and a safety plan as necessary.

The district will, in collaboration with local organizations and the Missouri Department of Mental Health, identify local, state and national resources and organizations that can provide information or support to students and families. A basic list of resources can be found on the Department of Mental Health website and the district will strive to develop its own list of local resources to be made readily available.

http://dmh.mo.gov/mentalillness/suicide/prevention.html 

5.  Responding to Suicidal Behavior or Death by Suicide in the School Community

When the school community is impacted by suicidal behavior or a death by suicide, the district will confer with their crisis response teams and, when appropriate, confer with local community resources and professionals to identify and make available supports that may help the school community understand and process the behavior and/or death.

The crisis response team, the building administrator or his/her designee will determine appropriate procedures for informing the school community of a death by suicide and the supports that will be offered. Staff and students who need immediate attention following a death by suicide will be provided support and resources as determined necessary.

6.  Suicide Prevention and Response Protocol Education for Staff

All district employees will receive information annually regarding this policy and the district s protocol for suicide awareness, prevention and response. The importance of suicide prevention, recognition of suicide protective and risk factors, strategies to strengthen school connectedness and building specific response procedures will be highlighted.

Such information shall include the following:

1.  Current trends in youth mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention and awareness
2. Strategies to encourage students to seek help for themselves and other students
3. Warning signs that indicate a student may be at risk of suicide
4. The impact of mental health issues and substance abuse
5. Communication to students regarding concerns about safety and that asking for help can save a life
6. Understanding limitations and boundaries for giving help and techniques to practice self-care
7. Identification of key school personnel who are comfortable, confident and competent to help students at risk of escalated distress and suicide

All district staff will participate in professional development regarding suicide awareness and prevention.

7.  Suicide Prevention Education for Students

Starting no later than fifth grade, students will receive age appropriate information and instruction on suicide awareness and prevention. Information and instruction may be offered in health education, by the counseling staff or in other curricula as may be appropriate.

Student education will include the following:

1. Information about mental health, well-being and suicide prevention and awareness
2. Promotion of a climate that encourages peer referral and which emphasizes school connectedness
3. Recognition of the signs that they or peers are at risk for suicide
4. Identification of issues that may lead to suicide including depression, anxiety, anger, and drug/alcohol dependency
5. Directive to not make promises of confidence when they are concerned about peer suicide
6. Identification of a trusted adult on campus with whom students can discuss concerns about suicide 

8.  Publication of Policy

The district will notify employees, students and parents of this policy by posting the policy and related procedures and documents on the district’s website and discussing this policy during employee training as detailed herein.

9.  Professional Development

Beginning with the 2023-24 school year, all District teachers, principals and certified educators may attend professional development regarding suicide prevention or engage in self-review of suicide prevention materials.  Completion of either of these options will count as contact hours of professional development under 168.021.  In addition, program completion counts as hours of training for purposes of the Flatl-Cantor Act. 

10.  Student Identification Cards

The District serves students in grade levels including grades 7 to 12.  The District may choose to issue student identification cards.  Beginning on July 1, 2023, these cards will have printed on them the three-digit dialing code that directs calls and that routes text messages to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988).  As of that date, if the District has a supply of unissued student identification cards lacking the dialing code, the District may issue such cards until the supply is exhausted. 

Reference:  DESE Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention Model Policy

Earthquake Awareness – RSMO 160.455

The District, in accordance with MO Revised State Statute is required to provide information to all families regarding earthquake awareness and safety. 

Ready.gov – Earthquakes