ATTENDANCE POLICY

Temperature and Questionnaire Screenings

Students will be required to submit a health screening questionnaire through the Healthworks app every morning before entering the building. This questionnaire will verify that a student is free of all COVID-19 related symptoms. Once completed, a student will be provided with a QR code that will scan on our CapScann machines located in the student lobby entrance. If a student forgets or has broken his phone, Iona Preparatory will provide an IPad for questionnaire completion.

If your son, or any member of your family is not feeling well, keep your son home; DO NOT SEND HIM TO SCHOOL! If he comes to school and exhibits any symptom of any illness, he will be sent home immediately. These are the common symptoms of COVID 19:

Fever or chills

Congestion or runny nose Cough Sore throat Muscle or body aches Diarrhea New loss of taste or smell Nausea or vomiting Headache Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue

Health Questionnaire - HealthWorks App Set Up

APP INFORMATION (Available for both Apple and Android platforms)

1. The DOCS HealthWorks App can be found at the Apple Store and the Google Play store for android phones. Once downloaded, please register on the HealthWorks App. This is a one-time registration process. You will need to enter your Name, Date of Birth, Employee ID, NOT SS# (this is the 5 digit number found on your Iona Prep ID Card), Location Code, Iona Prep email address and cell phone number to register. 1. The location code for the Upper School is: AY7H. Once registered, you will be able to complete your health assessment. If you complete the assessment and have confirmed you do not have any symptoms, have not had any known contact with a confirmed positive case and have not been in a known hotspot, the HealthWorks App will generate a QR Code on your mobile device. This QR Code, which will be different every day, serves as verification that you have successfully completed the health assessment.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Consistent attendance and punctual arrival to school are important aspects of an Iona Prep education. As a school community we cannot overemphasize the importance of classroom attendance. Students must avoid being absent whenever possible, and parents must make every effort to make appointments for their sons outside of school hours.

We ask that all parents and students read the following paragraphs carefully, especially the information regarding legal reasons for absence.

According to New York State Education Law, students are considered “excused” for absences of the following nature:

• sickness • death in the family • impossible traveling conditions • required court appearance • religious observation • pre-approved college visitation

It is to be understood that students who attend a school sponsored class trip bear the responsibility to check for and complete all missed academic work. Furthermore, all such work must be submitted the first day upon return to school. *Please note: The Dean of Students will make all

final decisions regarding excused and unexcused absence.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES AND CONSEQUENCES

Students are not permitted to be absent for any of the following reasons: • vacations • job interviews • entertainment events or non-school athletic events • personal endeavors

Absences for 4 or more consecutive days due to an illness will require a medical doctor’s clearance to return to classes.

There exists a growing concern regarding students missing school days prior to the start of extended school breaks and vacations. Parents are asked to comply with New York State Law by not planning family vacations during school days. Absences for family vacations will be recorded as “unexcused absences.”

EXCESSIVE ABSENCE

There are many sound academic, social and emotional reasons why a student needs to be in school every day. Iona is sincerely interested in every student’s well-being and wants each student with us each day.

Students who are absent during the course of a school year for more than 10 days will be subject to the following conditions:

• After 10 days of absence a letter will be sent home to parents as a reminder that continued absence may require a meeting with the Dean of Students to determine the specific reasons for the absence. • At 15 days of absence a meeting with the Dean of Students will be required to work on

strategies to improve attendance. • At 20 days of absence a review of the student’s records will be made by the Principal to determine if the student will be allowed to continue matriculation.

If a student is absent for a reason that is not compliant with New York State Education Law, the absence is recorded as “unexcused.” Students with such absences may be required to attend Saturday Study Halls as determined by the Dean of Students. A parent conference with the Dean of Students and subsequent Saturday Study Hall(s) may be required.

REMOTE LEARNING ATTENDANCE POLICY

During the 2020 – 2021 academic year, Iona Preparatory School’s remote learners were not marked absent for purposes of New York State school attendance records. For the 2021 – 2022 academic year, since we are not offering a fully remote option to our students, attendance recording will be slightly different.

While we expect all students to be in-seat, we acknowledge that there will be times when a student may legitimately be absent from school. Further, during some of these absences, a student might be well enough to attend classes remotely and will be encouraged to do so. Students will be issued an excused absence for the first three days of remote learning if he is home ill. Likewise, if quarantined, his absences will be excused. A doctor’s note will be required for any student to continue remote instruction after a three-day absence from illness. If not, the absences will not be considered to be an excused absence. Unexcused absences may cause New York State authorities to level a complaint of truancy (seven (7) unexcused absences from school in a row or ten (10) unexcused absences from school in one academic year.) against the student.

EXAM PERIOD ATTENDANCE

Students absent for a school midterm or final exam must present a doctor’s note in order to schedule a makeup, otherwise the exam grade will be a zero. Tuition must be up to date in order to sit for exams.

Please Note: Due to AP exams occurring on school days where class is still in session, it is to be understood that those students who are taking AP exams will be in class before or after the exam. For example, if an AP exam starts at 12:30pm, students will be required to arrive at the normal school start time until an administrator dismisses them from class.

SATURDAY STUDY HALL

The purpose of Saturday Study Hall is to provide a supervised setting for students to make up missed class time, assignments or tests. Saturday Study Halls are not considered a punishment,

but rather a valuable opportunity for students to complete academic work. A student’s academic standing or GPA, no matter how strong, is not a reason to waive the Saturday Study Hall requirement. Saturday Study Halls are conducted from 9:00 AM to noon in Room 212 as needed. An Iona Preparatory faculty member supervises Saturday Study Hall.

Students may be required to attend Saturday Study in the following cases:

• The student has missed 4 classes (for any reason) in any academic subject in one academic quarter. OR • The student has missed 3 classes in any academic week. OR • A student’s classroom teacher has prepared assignments to be completed and/or make-up test(s).

The Dean of Student’s OR the Dean of Academics will notify, by email, a student and their parents of required Saturday Study Hall attendance.

PROCEDURE FOR VERIFYING ABSENCES

If a student is to be absent, parents are required to:

• Call the Attendance Office prior to 9:30 AM on the day of the absence at 914-600-6183. • Submit an absence note to the Main Office upon the student’s return to school. Students are expected to submit absence notes prior to the homeroom period. • If a parent calls and states their son will be absent for a personal reason, verifiable documentation must be submitted prior to that student returning to school otherwise, Iona

Prep will require written documentation from a medical professional stating that the student is COVID-19 free.

Late to school: LATENESS POLICY

• Homeroom begins promptly at 8:20 AM. Any student arriving after the bell must report to the Main Office for admittance to class. Failure to report to the Main Office will result in two detentions. • An unexcused lateness will result in an automatic detention.

• Lateness due to doctor’s appointments require a note from the doctor verifying the visit. • Parent excuses for lateness must be submitted on the same day the student is late. If circumstances make the writing of a note impossible, parents should contact the

Attendance Office by phone. • Parent excuses for lateness will not be honored for students who have been late to school more than 7 times in the course of a school year. In situations involving extenuating circumstances, the implementation of this rule is under the discretion of the Dean of

Students.

Late to classes:

• A student is considered late to class if he is not in his assigned room when the bell rings to begin a class period. Teachers should admit the student to class and issue a detention for being late.

EARLY DISMISSAL POLICY

Iona Prep requests that parents do not seek early dismissals for students unless there are no other alternatives for the family and/or student. As a general rule, parents should make appointments for their sons outside of school hours. An early dismissal from school requires:

• A written request signed by a parent stating the time and reason for the dismissal. This must be submitted to the Main Office before homeroom. Requests submitted one day in advance of the early dismissal are preferred. Acceptable reasons for an early dismissal are the same as acceptable reasons for a school absence (sickness, death in the family, impossible traveling conditions, required court appearance, and religious observation). • A parent phone call to the school to verify the early dismissal.

Please note: For safety reasons NO student will be allowed to leave school early without meeting both guidelines.

SENIOR COLLEGE VISITATION POLICY

STUDENTS MUST OBTAIN A COLLEGE VISIT VERIFICATION FORM FROM THEIR COLLEGE COUNSELOR. THIS FORM MUST BE SIGNED BY THE COLLEGE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS AND SUBMITTED TO THE MAIN OFFICE UPON RETURNING TO SCHOOL.

While days missed from school for students to visit colleges are considered legal absences,

students and parents should make every effort to plan college visits during school vacations, and on the Senior College Visitation Days that are a part of our school calendar. Please note that a number of days on the school calendar are College Visitation days.

Should a college visit on a school day be a necessity, students must submit a note to the Main Office at least one day in advance of the anticipated visit. Parents are asked to call the Attendance Office located in the main office on the day of the visit to verify the student’s absence.

CO-CURRICULAR ATTENDANCE POLICY

The following policy applies to all students who participate in any co- curricular student activity or athletic event. Athletic coaches and activity moderators work with the school Deans in carrying out this policy.

• If a student is absent on a Friday, he is ineligible to participate in co- curricular activities on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. • If a student is absent following a weekend co-curricular event, in the absence of a doctor’s note, he is ineligible for the next game, match, or contest. • If a student is absent on the day following a weekday co-curricular event, in the absence of a doctor’s note, he is ineligible for the next game, match or contest. • If a student is absent from school on the day prior to a vacation, he is ineligible from practicing, playing or scrimmaging until school resumes. • If a student is absent on the day of a game, contest, scrimmage or practice, he is ineligible to participate that day. • If a student is late to school (after 11:00 AM), he will be ineligible to participate in cocurricular events that day. • If a student is late to school, he will serve detention, regardless of the start time of any events scheduled that day.