Student Handbook
Under Construction (Spring 2025)
Attendance
Student Expectations
Attendance
Research shows that regular attendance has a direct positive impact on student engagement and achievement. At Gulf Islands Secondary School, while students are primarily responsible for their attendance, it is also encouraged and supported by parents/guardians and school staff. The purpose of these expectations is to promote regular attendance, enabling students to achieve success throughout their secondary years.
We maintain high expectations for attendance because being present, engaged, and actively participating in learning is crucial for success. Our school designs lessons, units, and activities to be collaborative and in-person, building on each day’s learning. Each student plays a vital role in their own and their peers’ learning experience. Therefore, students are expected to attend at least 90% of their classes. Absences deemed unavoidable and excused should generally not exceed 10% of the total classes in a semester. Definitions for excused, parent-authorized, and unexcused absences are provided below.
Attendance Monitoring Procedures
Student attendance is recorded daily by classroom teachers. If no prior notification is provided to the office, parents/guardians will receive an email at approximately 5:00 PM on the day their child is marked absent.
Parents who have not notified the school beforehand should respond to the absentee email upon receipt. Details on how to report excused and parent-authorized absences are outlined below.
Step 1 – Teacher Level
When a student’s absences begin to negatively affect their learning or the class environment, the teacher will address the concern with the student. The teacher will notify the parents/guardians and may consult with other teachers to evaluate attendance patterns.
Step 2 – Parent/Guardian Level
If there is no improvement in attendance, the teacher will contact parents/guardians to discuss the issue and collaborate on strategies or a plan to support improved attendance.
Step 3 – School Leadership Level
If attendance concerns persist, the teacher will escalate the issue to a member of the School Leadership Team. The School Leader will include meet with the student and parents/guardians, and addition supports may include placing the student “On Report” (a check-in/check-out system with a school leader), a meeting with a counselor, or a referral to the School-Based Team for additional support. Program changes may also be considered at this stage. The School Leadership Team will provide follow-up to the reporting teacher.
Step 4 – Warning of Withdrawal
If attendance does not improve, a formal Warning of Withdrawal email will be sent to the student and their parents/guardians. The notification will outline attendance concerns, specific requirements to improve attendance, and a timeline for compliance. Classroom teachers will be informed at this stage.
Step 5 – Withdrawal from Course
If the student fails to meet the requirements outlined in the Warning of Withdrawal, they will be withdrawn from the course. Classroom teachers will be notified, and the student, along with their parents/guardians, will be required to schedule a meeting with a member of the School Leadership Team to discuss program changes.
Lates and Departed
Teachers are asked to mark a student Late if they arrive to class up to 30 minutes late. If they arrive after 30 minutes, they are to be marked as Absent. Students with parent excused reasons for being late beyond the 30 minute limit (or excused late for any time) may have this Absent changed to a Late (Excused) by connecting with the office. Students who leave mid-way through class will be marked as Departed. If a parent excuses a student leaving early from class with the office, this can be changed to Departed (Excused.)
Student Absenteeism Reporting
Parents/guardians are responsible for informing the school of a student’s absence by submitting a report through the online absence reporting form on the Gulf Islands Secondary School website (/giss) or by contacting the office via phone at 250-537-9944 or email at giss@sd64.org.
Absences Defined
Excused Absences authorized by the school include absences due to:
Documented acute or chronic medical conditions or specialist appointments
Verifiable religious observances
Death in the immediate family
Participation in an educational opportunity or special activity deemed appropriate by school leadership
Legal obligations
Parent-Authorized Absences are those endorsed by the parent, such as family holidays or days off. These are not considered excused by the school.
Unexcused Absences occur when a student misses class without authorization from the parent or school.
Family Holidays
Missing school for family holidays negatively impacts learning. We strongly encourage families to plan vacations during regular school breaks. If a holiday is scheduled during school time, parents and students should communicate proactively with teachers in advance. For planned absences of four or more days, students must complete a Planned Absence Form, available from Mr. Shugar in the GISS Office. This form ensures that teachers are informed of the absence and any learning responsibilities the student will need to address during their time away. Teachers may, at their discretion, provide guidance on alternative learning plans.
Completion of Missed Assignments
When a student is absent, they miss key classroom experiences, such as explanations, discussions, feedback, and group activities. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain information on missed work and discuss with the teacher how to make up for the absence. Students are expected to complete missed assignments promptly and honor their commitment to their courses.
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