The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of things, including attendance practices at Powell High School. Now, years later, it’s returning to normal.

“When Covid hit that following year, we did make a little bit of a concession in the policy … we wanted to make sure that people were going up to get the medical care they need during that time without any kind of repercussion on attendance,” Assistant Principal Steve Lensegrav said at the Aug. 27 school board meeting.

The Covid era policy modified the board’s original document to say absences accompanied by a doctor’s note would not be counted toward overall attendance, Lensegrav said. It was meant to be a one year modification but “the next year the attendance was almost tougher.”

Now, Powell High School is reverting back to the district’s policy to encourage students to attend school by creating more accountability on attendance.

The board policy says most absences will count towards a student's 10 allowable absences per semester, including doctors’ appointments. Any absence after 10 requires a doctor’s note. Although, there are still exceptions to the rule, including in the event of an emergency or circumstances involving extended or recurring absences.

The policy listed in the student handbook lays out two types of absences: excused and unexcused. Excused absences are those where a parent, guardian or custodian notifies the school within 48 hours of the absence. They are also approved by the principal or their designee. These may include a court appearance, health treatment, educational experience or family related event as well as an emergency absence.

An unexcused absence is “one that has not been excused by the parent to the satisfaction of the principal or his/her designee.”

Both categories count towards the 10 allowable absences under policy and excused absences help prevent a child being at risk of truancy, Lensegrav explained.

Letters were sent out to families before the start of the school year notifying them of the new policy and calls have been received by Powell High School from parents and guardians concerned about emergency absences. However, those are covered under policy, Lensegrav said.

Students who experience emergencies including extended medical leave or may have frequent absences as part of their specific education plan or other life circumstances can still receive exemptions under this policy. 

“The first 10, everything pretty much counts, but however … if you have an emergency, if you have an extended medical, if you’re having surgeries,” Lensegrav said. “I mean, all that stuff we're still going to exempt those, that's just the right thing to do.”