Hilton High School Attendance Office
(585) 392-1000, ext. 2246

Parents or legal guardians of high school students are responsible for calling the Attendance Office by 8 a.m. when their child will be absent or tardy from school.

Voicemail is available 24 hours a day.

Please indicate your child’s name (first and last), your name and the reason for his/her absence or tardiness to school. Follow up your phone call with a written note. Notes will be accepted up to three days after your child returns to school from his/her absence. If a note is not received after three days, your child’s absence will be considered unexcused. Teachers are not required to let students make up work for an unexcused absence.

If your child is late to school (after 7:25 a.m.), he/she will need to bring a note, signed by the parent or legal guardian, to the Attendance Office immediately upon arrival stating the reason for his/her tardiness. Students with a note for being sick, at a doctor's/dentist's appointment or other excused reason will not be penalized for tardiness.

If your child needs to leave school early, he/she will need to bring a note, signed by the parent or legal guardian, to the Attendance Office immediately upon arrival to school. The student will be given a pass to leave at the appointed time. Students need to sign out at the Attendance Office whenever they leave school. If a student feels ill and wants to go home early, he/she must go to the Nurse or Attendance Office to call home. Students are not allowed to call from class or use cell phones.

Regular school attendance is essential. The achievement of students with consistent attendance is higher than that of those who are frequently absent.  

Hours
Our school day begins at 7:25am and ends at 2:15pm.  Unless involved in extracurricular activities or with prior permission from a teacher/administrator, all students are to leave the school grounds at 2:15pm.  If a student has an approved early dismissal pass, they must leave the campus at the time designated on his/her pass. 

Event/Activity Participation
Students must be in attendance by 9am in order to be considered in attendance.  Any student who arrives later than 9am. is not eligible to participate in any sport, activity, or extra-curricular activity that day or on the most recent school day.  

Excused/Unexcused Absences
The State of New York recognizes illness, death in the family, medical appointments, quarantine, impassable roads, religious observances, court appearances, educational music lessons, an approved cooperative work program, an approved college visit, and military obligations as valid excuses for absence from school.  All other excuses are considered unexcused.  After three days without a written excuse the student is declared illegally absent.

Procedure
Parents/guardians must notify the school prior to the start of the school day at 7:25am if your student is going to be absent. If you cannot do so before 7:25am, please do so as soon as possible. If we do not hear from you, you should receive an automated phone call around 8:30am asking to update us. 

 If your student is going to be absent, you can:

• Use the form on our website, or

• email High School Attendance Office, or

• call the Attendance Office at 392-1000 ext. 2246

Truancy from School/ Class
A student is truant if not in attendance and the parent/guardian has not notified the school of the absence and reason. This applies if a student leaves school property during the school day without a proper excuse from home signed by a parent/guardian that has been submitted to and approved by the Attendance Office.  Teachers are not required to provide work for students who are truant from class. Students who skip classes/school may be assigned a disciplinary consequence and continued truancy may be referred to outside agencies.

Automated Phone Calls
Automated phone calls are made home if a student is marked absent for first set without notification to the school.

Parent Portal
The Parent Portal is available for parents to check their student’s attendance.

Early Release
Written requests to be excused from school should be signed by the parent/guardian and brought to the Attendance Office prior to the beginning of the school day. Students will be given a signed pass to show their teacher when it is time to leave. Students must report to the Attendance Office to sign out at their time of departure and only exit from the Main Entrance Doors next to the Attendance Office. Students must also sign in at the Attendance Office when they return.  Leaving the building without proper approval through the attendance office is a serious safety concern and will result in a disciplinary follow up. High school staff are responsible for your safety during the school day. 

Tardiness to School
The school day begins at 7:25 and students are to be in their first period class at that time.  Any student arriving after 7:25 is tardy to school. Students who arrive tardy to school with a parent/guardian note for a legal excuse, such as an appointment or illness, must sign in at the Attendance Office. If arriving between 7:25-8am without a legal excuse, students should report directly to their first class without a pass. Teachers will follow up according to our Shared Expectations for Student Success.

Passing Time
Students must arrive at school and their classes on time. Students are allowed five minutes passing time between classes. Teachers will follow up with students tardy to school and class according to our Shared Expectations for Student Success.