Attendance We all agree that one of the most important elements to succeeding in school is actually being there. Regular attendance and arriving on time are essential. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period. Please adhere to following policies: School starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. If you are going to be absent or late, a parent/guardian must contact the Upper School Administrative Assistant by 9:45 a.m. If a student does not arrive at school, the Upper School Office will call home to ask after the student’s whereabouts. This policy applies for any mandatory school event. If you are absent on a given day due to illness, you should not be in the building or attending school events later that day.
Excused Absences
Excused absences are those deemed by the school to be for legitimate reasons, such as illness, court appearances, religious observances, or other unique circumstances. Predictable instances of these absences should be arranged in advance by contacting the Upper School Administrative Assistant; depending on the reasons for the absence, it may or may not be considered excused. Providing a note from a parent or guardian explaining the nature of the absence does not automatically mean the absence will be excused. In the case of an excused absence, your parents should notify the Upper School Administrative Assistant via email, and students should notify their teachers, as well as follow up with them upon returning to School. Students generally will receive the same number of days to make up missed work as the number of days absent that were excused (for example, if out for two days, two days to make up work). In the case of an excused absence, your parents should notify the Upper School Administrative Assistant via email, and you are responsible for notifying your teachers in advance when possible, and for following up with them upon your return to School. Students generally will receive the same number of days to make up missed work as the number of days absent that were excused (for example, if out for two days, two days to make up work).
Unexcused Absences
There is ample vacation time at Tower Hill, so you are expected to be in regular attendance before and after both school holidays and long weekends. All requests to be excused at these times must be submitted in writing to the Head of Upper School.
Extended Absences
All Tower Hill students are required to attend School during the academic calendar year in order to matriculate into the next grade level, thus fulfilling their residency requirement. If you are sick or have an illness that lasts for more than three days, a note from your physician should be given to the Upper School Administrative Assistant. Students who miss more than 15 academic days (three weeks) due to illness or unforeseen circumstances will be asked to meet with the Class Dean, Dean of Students, and the Head of Upper School to determine their eligibility to progress into the following year of study.
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