At Renbrook we consider daily attendance to be of critical importance to a student’s success. There is no way to duplicate at home the experience of participating in class discussions and receiving instruction directly from a teacher, therefore the school discourages any kind of unexcused absence. In cases where such absences are excessive, the school may decide not to renew a student’s contract.
IN BEGINNING SCHOOL: Due to the hands-on, experiential nature of the program -- school attendance is intrinsic to a student’s development. Our program focuses on the social and emotional development of children, something that is most effectively nurtured by group experiences at school. In addition, as a child moves from the half-day programs of the Beginners and Junior Kindergarten to our full-day Kindergarten program, the development of cognitive skills becomes a greater part of the classroom experience.
For these reasons, if a Beginning School student is absent from school for more than 10 consecutive days, or 15 days total in any one term, the child’s grade placement for the following year may be called into question. Classroom teachers will not be able to provide ongoing work for a child who is absent for a significant period of time. In the case of extended absences due to health issues, a note from a physician will be required; under other circumstances, discussions with the Division Head and/or the Head of School will be requested.
LOWER SCHOOL: If a student is absent from school for more than 10 consecutive days, or 15 days total in any one term, the child’s grade placement for the following year may be called into question, and private tutoring during and/or after the absence will be required. When a student is absent from Lower School, he/she will be expected to make up any work that is missed within a reasonable length of time.
UPPER SCHOOL When absences last longer than a day or two, some teachers will post assignments on their webpages at
http://us.renbrook.org or leave assignments at the Front Desk. Parents will be responsible for getting the assignments to their child. Teachers will be expected to provide assignments, grade homework, and give tests and exams to all students in similar fashion; they will not be expected to provide tutoring or to alter the standards or content of a course or a subject for any individual.
In cases of prolonged absence (more than 10 days) for medical reasons, the school requires written documentation from a physician stating that the student is unable to attend school. In other cases a conversation with the Division Head and/or the Head of School will be requested.
If an Upper School student is absent from school more than 10 consecutive days, or 15 days total, in a single term, he/she will no longer receive letter grades in classes where these absences have occurred, but will receive pass/fail grades for the term instead. The pass/fail grades will be recorded on the student’s transcript, along with a footnote recording the reason for the exception. Private tutoring may be required to help the student with the work missed during an extended absence.