Attendance

A student who is identified as experiencing an attendance problem (e.g., who is identified as truant, chronically truant, or chronically absent) or at risk of academic failure, shall be offered supportive services to include, but not be limited to, student-teacher conferences, parent conferences, individual counseling, student and/or family counseling, and information about community services that are available to the student and relevant to their needs. Please refer to Board Policy  6:110, Programs for Students At Risk of Academic Failure, and Board Policy 7:070, Attendance and Truancy, for additional information.

In accordance with the Illinois School Code, no punitive action, including out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, or court action shall be taken against a truant minor for their truancy unless available supportive services and other school resources have been provided to the student.

A truant student is defined in the Illinois School Code as a child who is subject to compulsory school attendance who is absent without valid cause for more than 1% but less than 5% of the past 180 school days.

Valid cause for absences shall include illness, including the mental or behavioral health of the student, observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate family, attendance at a civic event, or family emergency, and shall include such other situations beyond the control of the student, as determined by the Board of Education, or other such circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent for the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of the student.

For additional information regarding compulsory school attendance and truancy, please refer to Board Policy 7:070, Attendance and Truancy.

The district offers no-cost busing to students who live more than 1.5 miles from their school of attendance as calculated by the district’s Transportation Department, unless the Board of Education has certified to the Illinois State Board of Education that adequate public transportation is available or if adequate public transportation is not available, within 1.5 miles from their assigned school walking to or from school or to a pick up point or bus stop would constitute a serious hazard.

Please refer to Board Policy 4:110, Transportation, for additional details. The district will offer an optional fee based student busing program for students who do not qualify for the no-cost ridership if seats are available based on the number of buses the transportation company is able to provide. Failure to pay the bus fee will result in suspension of bus privileges.

The district does not provide preferred pick-up at residences and all regular education students must meet their bus at a district designated community stop location. Should you require information regarding bus assignment, location of the bus stop and pick up times, please contact the school office. Students are required to follow all school rules at the bus stop, as well as on the bus itself.

Failure to do so can result in suspension of bus privileges and/or other consequences based on the nature of the offense. Students must only ride the bus to which they are assigned.

It is sometimes necessary to close one, several, or all of the district school buildings due to an emergency. Inclement weather is usually the major cause of school closings; however, other emergencies such as power failures, heating problems, or water problems could occur at any time necessitating the closing of one or more schools.

E-Learning/Remote Learning Due to Weather-Related Closures

If schools are closed due to inclement weather, all District 62 schools will implement an e-learning day in which students will learn remotely with their teacher(s) and peers through a variety of online programs including but not limited to live instruction over Zoom.

Inclement Weather Announcements

When a determination is made that a school or schools should be closed to protect the health and safety of students, the information will be announced by the district’s automated notification system, and major radio and television stations. Announcements will also be displayed on the district’s website.

The district’s automated notification system allows the district to send important information quickly via phone and/or email about emergency situations, school delays or cancellations due to inclement weather. It also allows each school to contact parents about important school information and events, testing schedules, report card distribution, open houses, delayed buses, field trips, and more.

Parents are not required to register for the notification system. ALL parents and guardians of students enrolled in the school are automatically enrolled in this communication system. Parents must update changes in their mailing address, phone numbers or email by contacting their school secretary. Questions, comments, and concerns may also be directed to service@d62.org.

Announcements will also be displayed on the district’s website. The following media will carry school closing information:

In the event that the state of Illinois orders a school closure, District 62 will continue learning via a remote learning plan.

Typically, the district does not dismiss school early in case of severe weather. If school authorities believe a violent storm is imminent, students and buses may be held until danger passes.

In such circumstances, children are safer remaining in school. Students may be dismissed a few minutes early if weather conditions are such that buses may operate safely, but it will take longer than normal to deliver students to bus stops.