In order to provide an acceptable environment for teaching and learning, Uni High students and teachers acknowledge the responsibility of being prepared for class when the bell rings. Individuals who enter the classroom after the bell has already rung disrupt the daily lesson. Students are tardy if they are not in their seats in the classroom when the bell rings. Teachers may or may not tell the student they have been marked tardy. Assume that if the bell rings and you are not in your seat, you are tardy. Oversleeping, missing the bus, car trouble, a parent who was late will not be considered valid reasons for being tardy/ excused to class. Therefore, Uni High has adopted the following tardy policy:

1. A tardy may be “excused” or “unexcused.” The school will determine whether a tardy is “excused” or “unexcused.” Each teacher is required to have a consistent definition of what will be counted as a tardy in their classroom, and present the policy to students at the beginning of the year/semester. The school will accept only the following reasons for excused tardies:

• Illness of the student or family emergency with written note;
• Participation in alternative school-sponsored activity (field trips, athletic games, testing, etc.)
• Illness or death in the student's family with written note;
• Medical appointment that cannot be arranged for after-school hours with written note from the medical facility;
• Religious observation/instruction.
• Weather related.

2. Tardies will be reviewed by the administration. Students with more than five unexcused tardies may receive a notice on their locker informing them of any unexcused tardies that may have accumulated.

3. After six+ unexcused tardies, the Assistant Director will notify (by e-mail or letter) the student's parent(s)/guardian(s).

4. After six unexcused tardies to the same class, a meeting may be arranged between the student, the assistant director and the teacher of that class to discuss reasons for the tardies and to determine if there is a way to avoid future tardies.

5. After 10 unexcused tardies, the student, parent(s)/guardian(s) are notified by phone, e-mail, or in writing by the Assistant Director. The student will provide five hours helping the school operation, under the supervision of the Assistant Director or her/his designee at a time designated by the Assistant Director.

6. After 12 unexcused tardies, the student may lose the privilege of open campus, free periods, petitioning out of physical education, and participation in extracurricular activities for five days. The loss of privileges starts five school days after the 12th unexcused tardy. In some cases, the Assistant Director may impose a 5 hour service for each additional 2 tardies. This would be in place of the loss of privilege component.

7. After 16 unexcused tardies, the student is placed on Disciplinary Probation for the remainder of the year. Disciplinary Probation is described on page 41 of the Uni High Student Handbook. The student and parent(s)/guardian(s) are required to sign a Disciplinary Probation Agreement. The Disciplinary Probation Agreement will include the loss of the privilege of open campus, free periods, petitioning out of physical education, and participation in extracurricular activities for the remainder of the academic year. The loss of privileges starts five school days after the 15th unexcused tardy.

8. Additional unexcused tardies will violate the Disciplinary Probation Agreement and shall result in a Disciplinary Review.

9. Work missed due to tardiness is the responsibility of the student. All unexcused tardies may be recorded on the student's transcript.

Detention after Class — Teachers are asked not to detain students after class except for the most compelling reasons. If a detained student is going to be late for his/her next class because of the detention, he/she should request a written note from the faculty member. This procedure also applies to appointments with counselors and administrators which may run over into a scheduled class period. If a tardy excuse is presented to the teacher, the teacher should note on his/her record that the tardy is excused and include the note in the absence folder.

NOTE: The contents of this page are taken from the Uni High Student Handbook, Section 7.3, "Class Tardiness."