Attendence Policy Tardy Policy VOE/TEA Policy Cell Phone Policy Releasing Early Parking Permits

ATTENDANCE POLICY

In order to clarify the attendance policy at Bowie High School, the administrative staff has identified the following major important points:

  1. In order for students to earn credit, they must be in attendance for at least 90% of the total number of days during a semester. Students must place their documentation of absence in the note box on the front counter within 48 hours of the absence. Please make sure that the documentation shows the student's full name, student I. D. number, and the date of the absence(s). Documentation must be either an official doctor's form including the exact date and time of the visit, a parent note documenting the illness within 48 hours of the absence or other suitable documentation.
  2. College Visits (maximum of three) - These visits must be pre-approved by a counselor and must be documented by officials at the visited college on the appropriate form and submitted within three days of the visit.
  3. Doctor's Visits During the School Day – For an absence to be excused as a medical appointment, student must be present in school the same day of the appointment.
  4. In order for your student to obtain a VOE/TEA form for driver's license purpose, your student must be in attendance for 90% of the school day or semester. Attendance for a TEA Form is based on the previously completed semester. Please refer to the campus VOE/TEA Policy for more details.

TARDY POLICY

Teachers, counselors, students, administrators, and others play a very important role to ensure that the tardy policy is a meaningful, purposeful component of instructional day.

The purpose of the student tardy policy is:

  • to ensure that students maximize all learning opportunities.
  • to ensure that teachers maximize all teaching opportunities.
  • to ensure that administrators and others maintain a safe and orderly climate that focuses on punctual student attendance and student achievement.
  1. After the bell rings the halls will be swept by:
    • Administrators
    • Monitors
    • Teachers
    • SRO
  2. Students will report to the tardy room to receive a tardy pass.
  3. When a student accumulates 3 tardies, the student is assigned 1/2 hour lunch detention.
  4. On the 6th tardy, the same applies, the student must attend 2 1/2 hours of lunch detention.
  5. On the 9th tardy, student will be assigned three 1/2 hours of lunch detention and will be suspended for one day.
  6. On the 12th tardy and above, students will be referred to their Assistant Principal to determine course of action.
  7. Parking permits and Senior Off-Campus privileges may also be revoked for excessive tardies.

VOE/TEA POLICY(For Obtaining or Renewing a Driver's License)

In order for a student to obtain a Verification Of Enrollment and Attendance Form (VOE/TEA Form) to obtain a driver's license, the student must be in attendance for 90% of the days the class was offered in the previous semester. For example, if the student is seeking a VOE/TEA Form for the Spring, issuance of the form will be based on attendance of each class in the previous fall semester.

Requirement to receive a VOE/TEA Form to obtain a driver's license are as follows:

  • Any student who was in attendance 90% of the days the class was offered in the previous semester will be eligible to receive a VOE/TEA Form.
  • Any student who has passed all classes and has not exceeded 20 total class periods above the 90% criteria set by the state may be allowed to make up the periods missed to clear the excess absences will be eligible to receive a VOW/TEA Form.
  • Any student who fails at least one course and has not attended that class 90 % of the days the class was offered will not be eligible to receive a VOE/TEA Form
  • Any student who has exceeded the maximum of 20 class absences above the 90% criteria set by the state will not be allowed to make up the excess class absences and will not be eligible to receive a VOE/TEA Form.

TEA Policy States:

19 TAC, Subchapter C. - 61.43 Absences - a student must be in attendance 90 percent of the days the class is offered. If a student has a absences that the district recognizes as excused or as an extenuating circumstance and the student satisfactorily makes up work missed, the student shall be considered in attendance for the purpose of computing compulsory attendance and for the driver's license eligibility.

The VOE document is a governed record as defined under the Texas Penal Code 3.01(2). Any misrepresentation by the applicant or person issuing the form may result in denial of the application for a Texas driver's license and/or criminal prosecution.

In accordance with TEA, Laura Lea Bauer, Program administrator for the Safety and Driver Education Division of the Texas Education Agency, stated the following about the TEA policy on the issuance of VOE/TEA Forms:

School enrollment and attendance as a condition of licensing a student to operate a motor vehicle applies to persons under 18 years of age unless a high school diploma or its equivalent has been obtained.

Schools can issue a VOE form to students who fail a class if the student attended at the minimum of 90% in each class they were enrolled. School cannot issue a VOE form to students who fail a class if the student failed because they did not attend the class a minimum of 90 percent.

 

CELL PHONE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY


In order to assist high school students in communicating with family members, the District shall allow high school students to possess electronic devices on school property; however, student use of these devices during the school day on school property is prohibited.

 

Definition for purposes of this policy: “electronic devices” shall include a wireless, mobile, or portable telephone, as well as any device that allows two-way communication via radio waves. These devices shall include any device that may be used to store, record, or play auditory and/or visual information. The possession of electronic devices by students on school property, or while attending school-sponsored or school-related events is a privilege, not a right. A campus administrator, in the exercise or reasonable discretion in response to student misbehavior, abuse of the privilege, or other reasonable cause, may deny or cancel the privilege of possessing an electronic device.

 

Students shall not possess electronic devices on their persons during testing periods, unless specifically allowed to do so by their instructor or a school administrator, or by an individualized education program (IEP) or behavioral improvement plan (BIP).

 

ELECTRONIC DEVICES Penalties

FIRST OFFENSE: Warning issued and documented; electronic device returned at end of the school day

 

SECOND OFFENSE: Electronic device confiscated and documented; returned after two days to a parent and $15 fee assessed for returned cell phone

 

THIRD & SUBSEQUENT OFFENSES: Electronic device confiscated; returned after ten days to a parent and $15 fee assessed for returned cell phone Repeated violations regarding the use of electronic devices after parent notification shall result in revocation of the student’s privilege of possession of a electronic device on school property. Students who violate this policy may be subject to further disciplinary measures.

 

LASER LIGHTS: Laser lights or other optical devices are expressly prohibited and will be confiscated. Sound systems, headsets, electronic games and any similar device will not be allowed in the classroom-learning environment. Possession of these devices will result in disciplinary action.

PARKING PERMIT INFORMATION JUNIORS AND SENIORS

WHERE: Office across from the Nurses Office

You must bring the following documents:

  • Current Driver's License
  • Proof of Insurance
  • Vehicle registration
  • Signed parent/student agreement form

If you have a new vehicle without license plates, you will need to bring the contract from the dealer. If you have a new/used vehicle with license plates but no vehicle registration, you will need to provide proof from the dealer with license plate information.

  • $20.00 fee - NO student checks accepted

Summer hours for the sale of the parking permits will be:

Aug. 20-24 from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Regular hours are:

(starting Aug. 28 th) 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM (Mon. - Fri.) and 4:35 PM - 4:50 PM (Tue. & Thur.)

Everyone should be prepared to take a photo, and seniors should have a parent signed CONTRACT form for the school ID. The parking forms and permits can be downloaded by clicking on the links below:

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RELEASING STUDENTS ANYTIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

 

PERMIT TO LEAVE POLICY

In order to release students at any time during the school day, a “Permit to Leave” is required.  In order to clarify the process, the administrative staff has identified the following major points:

 

PARENT/GUARDIAN REQUESTS

  • Requests for students to be released must be processed in person at the Main Office to complete the sign-out process. 
  • Call Slips:  Because parents/guardians are required to come into the Main Office to sign their student out, student notes requesting to leave are not required.  Please allow 5-10 minutes before the release time for the Main Office to send for your student.
  • Students Driving Off-campus:  Parent/Guardian notes are required with a “Release of Liability” statement for all students to drive off-campus.  Include requestor’s name and phone number, student’s name and identification number, the exact time to be released, reason, and include a statement such as,  “I release Bowie High School from any liability for (fill in your request).”

 

SIGNOUT PROCESS

  • Per student record, the person picking up a student must come into the Main Office, present a photo identification card and complete the sign-out sheet.
  • A “call slip” will be sent to the classroom to request your student be released to meet you in the Main Office.
  • A “Permit to Leave” will be issued from the Main Office or the Nurse’s Office if student is present there.
  • Our Attendance policy should be followed regarding documentation upon student’s return to school.

NURSE-MEDICAL PROCEDURE:

  • Sick students must be referred to Nurse’s office.
  • Per student record, person picking up student must come to the Main Office to complete the sign-out process. 
  • The Main Office will provide a pass to pick up student in the Nurse’s Office. 
  • The Nurse will issue the Permit to Leave. 
  • Our Attendance policy should be followed regarding documentation upon student’s return to school.