Student Handbook Breakdown

Attendance Policy


General Guidelines

All students between the ages of 6 and 18, who have not completed grade 12, are required to regularly attend a public full-time school, unless otherwise exempted by law. Staff will monitor and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. All students five years of age who have been enrolled in a public school are required to attend regularly. 


Any person who fails to send a student to school within three days of notification by the district that their student is not complying with compulsory attendance requirements [may] be issued a citation by the district for the student’s failure to attend school. Failure to send a student to school is a Class C violation of law and is punishable by a court imposed fine, as provided by ORS 339.095.


The district will notify the parent in writing that, in accordance with law, the [superintendent] will schedule a conference with the non-attending student and his/her parent(s) to discuss attendance requirements. The written notice will include the following:


  1. The superintendent or the designee has the authority to enforce the provisions of the compulsory attendance laws;

  2. Failure to send a student to school is a Class C violation;

  3. A citation may be issued by the district;

  4. The parent has the right to request:

    1. An evaluation to determine if the student should have an individualized education program (IEP), if the student does not have one; or

    2. A review of the student’s current IEP.

  5. A conference with the parent and student is required. The conference may not be scheduled until after an evaluation or review as described in item 4. above, if requested by the parent, has been completed.

The written notification will be in the native language of the parent.


Regular school attendance is necessary for mastery of the educational program provided to students of the district. Nonetheless, it is recognized that at times students may be appropriately absent from class. Therefore, the following principles shall govern the development and administration of attendance procedures within the district:


1. Absences due to illness or a health condition, school-approved activities, family emergencies, and disciplinary actions shall be excused at the principal’s discretion.

2. If any absence is excused, a student, upon return, shall be permitted one day plus one for each day missed to make up all assignments outside of class.

3. Excused absences shall be verified by a telephone call and/or a written note from the parent of notification from the school authority responsible for the absence. Written verification shall be presented upon return to school. Upon return to school, obtain an Admit Slip from the Main Office. Failure to verify within three days will result in the absence being recorded as unexcused.

4. A student whose absence is not excused shall not be permitted to make up missed assignments. Any graded activities which occur during the unexcused absence shall be graded as if the student had chosen not to complete the assignment.

5. Students with unexcused absences may be sent to the Principal for disciplinary action.


Absences, Prearranged

A prearranged absence is required when a student will miss three or more days of school or attending a co-curricular activity.


A prearranged absence is not required for the following (as long as the absence is not in excess of three days in length):  A doctor or dentist appointment. Students may be required to provide evidence of the appointment from the doctor or dentist. Students are expected to return to school in a timely manner following the appointment. A one hour dentist appointment in the morning does not excuse a student from attendance requirements from the entire day.


Note: For absences of two days or less, students are expected to follow the guidelines entitled “Make-up Work.”

The prearranged absence form can be obtained in the Main Office.


Attendance of 18 year old's and Written Excuses

Conditions have been established relative to 18 year old students having authority to write excuses for attendance. To have authority to write his/her excuses for attendance, an 18 year old student must be an emancipated adult and have completed school forms. An emancipated adult is one who:

1. Has not been claimed as a dependent for income tax purposes by a parent/guardian or

2. Has been legally emancipated from parent/guardian through the court. Proof of emancipation rests with the parent/guardian and student.


Co-Curricular Participation

Students must be in attendance for the full school day (unless prearranged by a parent and the Main Office) in order to participate in co-curricular activities that take place on that day. All subsequent violations of this rule will result in non participation that day. This applies to practice, games, travel, etc.


Make-Up Work Guidelines:

1. For regular absences: Students are required to make up work the day following return to school. The student will have one day plus one for every day missed to make up daily work. Deadlines for making up tests will be determined by individual teachers. Students should not expect to make up assignments or tests weeks after an absence, unless special arrangements have been made with a teacher. Work, projects, reports, or tests announced in advance or prior to an absence, that has a due date during a student's absence, are due the day after the student returns to school.


2. For prearranged nonattendance (away games, field trips): Students are required to consult with teachers prior to leaving on a prearranged 

absence. Work should be made up prior to the missed class if possible, or immediately upon return.


3. For prearranged absences (vacation, personal): These need to be scheduled in advance; one day for every day of absence (i.e. three days of absences requires notification/arrangements three days prior to beginning of absences). Students must complete a “Request for Prearranged Absence” form and file it with the Main Office prior to the absence. Work should be made up prior to the missed class if possible, or immediately upon return.


4. For suspensions: Students are required to make up all work missed due to a suspension. Assignments extending beyond the daily work may be made up. Students are expected to have completed the make-up work and take the required tests or quizzes the day they return to class.


Tardy Policy

A student is considered tardy when he/she is not in his/her seat with all materials when class begins. Teachers will notify students when they are marked tardy. If a student is more than 10 minutes late, he/she will be marked absent and must obtain an Admit Slip from the office. Failure to do this within three days results in the absence being declared unexcused.

A change in class schedules is to be approved by the teacher(s) involved, the counselor, and the principal before the change goes into effect. At the beginning of each semester, the counselor will be available to change and modify class schedules. Schedule change forms can be found in the main office. Changes for semester schedules must be completed by the second week of the semester unless prior arrangements have been made with the counselor and instructor.
A counselor is available for all students. The responsibility of the organized guidance program is under the direction of the counselor. Students consult the counselor regarding course selections, grades, credits, scheduling, career planning, college and vocational information, articulation agreements, scholarships and financial aid, and personal counseling. Students needing specific credit information should consult a counselor. Working with the most current and accurate transcript information, the counselor can draft a suggested plan for successful high school completion, relating to the specific needs of the student and parents. Students planning post-secondary education or training should consult with a counselor as soon as possible during their time in high school. It is not too soon to be thinking about what classes to take upon entering 9th grade. Such planning can also begin at the middle school level. The school counselor is able to refer students to other counseling services as needed, such as drug and alcohol counseling.
Permanent grades are issued at the end of each semester. These will be mailed in January and June to parents of all students who have completed the checkout process. Quarter grades are also given at the middle period of each semester and can be picked up at Parent/Teacher Conferences. Progress reports are mailed in the middle of each grading period. Every effort is made to contact parents of students in academic trouble. Parents are encouraged to contact teachers with questions and/or concerns.
Language Arts 4 units Mathematics 3 units Science 3 units Social Studies 3 units Health/PE 2 units Arts/CTE 3 units Elective Credit 8 units Total 26 units Oregon Department of Education is also requiring all classes to pass state testing in reading, writing and mathematics. This mandate has been waived for 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years. See Board Policy IKF for more thorough details of the graduation requirements.
Students in good standing who have successfully completed the requirements for a high school diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate may participate in graduation exercises. Students who have not met the district’s diploma or certificate requirements may, at the discretion of the superintendent or designee, be permitted to take part in the district’s graduation exercises. Additionally, students may be denied participation in graduation exercises for violation of Board policies, administrative regulations or school rules. The valedictorian(s), salutatorian(s) or others may be permitted to speak as part of the graduation exercise program at the discretion of the building principal or designee. All speeches will be reviewed and approved in advance by the building principal or designee. Graduation practice is required for graduation ceremony participation. Students must be fully checked out by the office in order to participate in practice.
During the fourth quarter of each school year, the Senior Class Advisor(s) or the Principal will notify those juniors who will serve as Gold Gowns for the upcoming graduation ceremony. The juniors will be chosen based on cumulative high school GPA. The top juniors who are most likely to be the valedictorian and salutatorian during their senior year will be chosen to serve as Gold Gowns and help lead the graduation ceremony. In the case that there is a tie or the GPA rankings are too close to determine who will finish first and second, the advisors or Principal may choose to have more than two students serve as Gold Gowns.
Knappa High will have three honor rolls at the end of each grading quarter. The Principal’s Honor Roll includes a perfect GPA of 4.00. The Logger Honor Roll includes 3.50 to 3.99. The Blue and Gold Honor Roll includes a GPA from 3.0 to 3.49. The office will compile the necessary honor rolls. Any I (incomplete) or an F (fail) will eliminate the student from consideration for that grading period for the Honor Roll. To be eligible for any academic honors offered or sanctioned by KHS, a student must take all his/her classes at KHS.

Associated Student Body $20

Freshman/New student Book Deposit $25

Lock deposit, per lock $ 6 

Additional course fees may be required, i.e. art, woods, welding. Please check with the main office for details.

Grades earned in classes taken off campus are transferred to the high school transcript.. Maximum number of credits which can be transferred to the high school transcript is two unless it is college level 100 or above (example: a 3 credit college class is equivalent to a .5 high school credit).
Students at school sponsored, off-campus events shall be governed by school district rules and regulations and are subject to the authority of school officials.