Attendance

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

Procedure to report an absence

Parents or legal guardians are responsible for notifying the Attendance Office when their child will be absent or tardy from school using one of the following options.

Campus Parent app: In the dropdown menu, select Absence Request and enter absence. Absence Request Tips Sheet for Families

Attendance Office email: Email High School Attendance Office to report absence.

Attendance Office phone and voicemail: Phone (585) 392-1000, ext. 2246 to report absence. 

 Please report absences every day that your child will be absent from school. Only one notification is necessary if you are on vacation and have called ahead with the date(s) that your child will be absent.  If notifying by phone, please follow-up 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.

Absences and late arrivals will be entered as unexcused any time that the school does not receive an absence notification.

 If your child is late arriving to school, please sign him or her in at the security desk. Your child will then need to stop in the Health Office for a late pass.

Attendance Expectations

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

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

Hours
Our school day begins at 7:25 a.m. and ends at 2:15 p.m.  Unless involved in extracurricular activities or with prior permission from a teacher/administrator, all students are to leave the school grounds at 2:15 p.m.  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.

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.